March 27, 2008
Game Notes and Stats in PDF Format 
Games 26-28
Pepperdine at Gonzaga
Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field (3,000)
Spokane, Wash.
Friday, Mar. 28, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Mar. 29, 1 p.m.
Sunday, Mar. 30, 1 p.m.
Series Record: Pep leads 38-18
Live Stats: www.gozags.com
UP TO BAT: After five road games in five days, the Gonzaga University baseball team will return home this weekend to open West Coast Conference play against Pepperdine University. The series with the Waves, who are receiving votes in the national polls, kicks off Friday at 6:30 p.m. before games Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. All three games will be played at Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field and will be broadcast on the radio on 1050 KEYE and on television on GUTV.
ON DECK: The Gonzaga University baseball team will continue West Coast Conference play as it travels to Southern California to face No. 14 University of San Diego. The rematch of the 2007 WCC Championship Series will open Apr. 4 at 3 p.m. before contests Apr. 5 and 6 at 1 p.m.
LAST OUTING: Earlier this week, the Gonzaga University baseball team earned a three-game series sweep over Sacramento State University before falling to UC Davis on Monday and No. 28 Washington State University on Tuesday. The Zags opened the series with the Hornets Friday with a 4-3 victory as Grant Kveder went 2-for-3 and Marcus McKimmy drove in three runs for GU. Saturday, McKimmy and Ryan Wiegand led the Bulldogs to a doubleheader sweep as they combined to drive in 12 runs during the Zags' 9-5 and 18-12 victories. After resting on Easter, Gonzaga dropped an 8-2 decision to UC Davis Monday as Jason Chatwood led the Bulldogs at the plate with four hits. Tuesday, the fifth game in as many days, the Zags traveled to Pullman, Wash. dropping a 6-2 decision to the Cougars.
LIVE ON THE RADIO: Gonzaga University baseball team will have 18 games aired live on the radio in the greater Spokane area this season. Broadcasts will begin this weekend against Pepperdine University. This weekend's games will be aired on 1050 KEY. There will be no live audio or internet streaming available this weekend. The Santa Clara University, University of Washington, University of Portland, Oregon State University, University of San Francisco series and two games against Washington State University will be aired live on 790 KGA. The broadcasts will begin 15 minutes prior to the scheduled first pitch. Calling games for the Bulldogs will be Tom Hudson with former head coach Steve Hertz providing color commentary.
BULLDOG BASEBALL ON TELEVISION: Six Gonzaga University West Coast Conference baseball games will be aired on GUTV this season. Games this weekend against Pepperdine University, Apr. 11-12 against Santa Clara University and Apr. 18-19 versus the University of Portland will all be aired live on the campus station.
TICKETS TO PATTERSON BASEBALL COMPLEX AND WASHINGTON TRUST FIELD: The gates to Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field will open one hour prior to the scheduled game time. Tickets are available before the game at the two ticket booths at the new facility. Admission is five dollars for adults and three dollars for seniors and kids 12 and under.
SCOUTING THE WAVES: Pepperdine University travels to Spokane to open West Coast Conference play with a 16-7 record, including a 1-5 record when playing as the visiting team. The Waves are fresh off a 7-5 upset over No. 3 Long Beach State University in which they pounded out 13 hits to improve to 4-2 against top-25 teams this season. Pepperdine has seven starters that are hitting over .300, including Matt Aidem who is pacing the team with a .394 average. The Waves' pitching staff is anchored by closer Nick Gaudi. Gaudi is the national save leader with seven as he boasts a 1-0 record with a 2.65 earned run average and 19 strikeouts. This weekend Gonzaga University will be looking to gain ground in the all-time series with Pepperdine, as the Waves hold a 38-18 all-time record.
LAST SEASON VERSUS THE WAVES: Last season, in a key West Coast Conference series, Gonzaga University took two of three games from Pepperdine University in Malibu to earn a spot in the WCC Championships series. The Bulldogs, who needed two wins in the series to capture second place in the league, took the opening game of the series 5-3. Down 3-2 heading into the ninth, Gonzaga rallied behind a five-hit ninth inning effort to capture the victory. Saturday, in the second game, the Bulldogs earned a spot in the league championship series with a 7-1 victory thanks to an outstanding pitching performance by Clayton Mortensen. Mortensen pitched a complete game allowing one run on five hits and three walks while striking out 15 batters. In the series finale on Sunday, the Zags were unable to take a series sweep as the Waves scored in the bottom of the tenth to take a 4-3 victory.
McKIMMY NAMED WCC PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Marcus McKimmy, a senior on the Gonzaga University baseball team, has been named the West Coast Conference Player of the Week. McKimmy led the Bulldogs to a 5-1 week as they took series victories over Utah Valley University and Sacramento State University. The Zags took two-of-three from the Wolverines at home before sweeping the Hornets on the road. On the week, the senior hit .423 going 11-for-26 with four doubles, a home run and 13 runs batted in. McKimmy also led Gonzaga scoring eight runs and stealing two bases. For the week, he posted four multiple-hit games, including two contests with three hits. Saturday, in the first game of a doubleheader with Sacramento State, McKimmy drove in five runs on three hits. The honor is the first of McKimmy's WCC career. Last season McKimmy was named the Western Athletic Conference player of the week once as he played for San Jose State University before transferring to Gonzaga in the fall.
LIVE ON THE INTERNET: All Gonzaga University home games and select away games, including will be available via Gametracker on the internet at http://www.gozags.com. Check the Bulldogs' web site for all Gametracker links.
OUCH!: The Gonzaga University baseball team has been hit-by-a-pitch 52 times this season, including a season-high six times by Brigham Young University on Feb. 29. In comparison, Bulldog pitchers have plunked 24 batters to date. Senior Bryan Winston leads GU as he has been hit-by-a-pitch nine times. Last season in 58 games, the Zags were hit 65 times. According to official NCAA stats through games of Mar. 23, Gonzaga ranks third in the nation in the category. Prairie View currently leads the nation with the University of South Florida ranking second.
HOME SWEET HOME: The Gonzaga University baseball team continues to prove that there's no place like home. Since the opening of the Zags' new facility last March, Gonzaga has posted a 18-5 record when playing at home. The Bulldogs have only dropped one series at the new facility as GU dropped two games to Utah Valley State University in a three-game series in 2007.
FRESHMAN POSTS STRONG SHOWINGS ON THE MOUND: Cody Martin is enjoying a strong rookie campaign as the freshman is maintaining a 1-0 record with a 0.92 earned run average in 13 relief appearances. Martin, who hails from Dos Palos, Calif., also leads Gonzaga University with four saves. To date, Martin has thrown 19.2 innings, allowing three runs, two earned, on 12 hits with 21 strikeouts. He is also holding batters to a .174 batting average - the lowest of any Bulldog hurler.
McKIMMY EARNS NATIONAL HONOR: In addition to being named the West Coast Conference Player of the Week, senior Marcus McKimmy has been named the West Region Player of the Week by www.collegebaseballinsider.com and www.collegebaseballhub.com. For the week or Mar. 17, McKimmy hit .423 to lead the Bulldogs to a 5-1 record.
WIEGAND DRIVES TOWARDS CAREER LIST: Ryan Wiegand, first baseman for the Zags, continues to be a run producer for Gonzaga University as the junior has drove home 29 runs this season. For his career, the native of San Diego has posted 118 RBI, leaving him 25 short of cracking the career top-ten. For his career, Wiegand has posted 33 multiple-RBI games, including 14 during the 2007 campaign. This season, Wiegand has posted eight multiple-RBI games, including driving in six runs on Mar. 9 at the University of the Pacific.
FIVE ZAGS APPEAR IN NATIONAL TOP-50: Five members of the Gonzaga University baseball team rank in the top-50 in official NCAA stats that were released Tuesday. Ryan Wiegand leads the pack, ranking in four categories. Wiegand is ranked in doubles (18th - 10), runs batted in (28th - 29), hits (45th - 35), and 49th in total bases with 59. Marcus McKimmy is ranked in three categories, including being ranked 15th in runs with 30. He is also ranked in runs batted in (34th - 28) and in hit-by-pitch (24th - eight). Evan Wells is listed in two categories as the junior is ranked in walks (48th - 18) and hit-by-pitch (46th - eight). Also ranked is Bryan Winston, who is listed in hit-by-pitch at 28th with eight. As a team, Gonzaga ranks in the top-50 in five categories - hit-by-pitch (Third - 51), hits (11th - 261), sacrifice flies (25th - 13), scoring (32nd - 8.3 runs per game) and walks (37th - 104).
MARTIN BUSTS INTO SINGLE SEASON RANKS: Freshman Cody Martin posted an impressive weekend last week, as the closer pitched 4.0 innings allowing one run on two hits en route to earning two saves. The right-hander now stands at four saves this season, placing him tied for ninth on the single season list and three short of the school record. Martin is tied with six other Zags who have earned four saves in a season, including current sophomore Jeremy Stumetz, who accomplished the feat last season. Randy Bostic holds the school record after earning seven saves in 1982.
HARMON MOVES UP IN RECORD BOOK: Senior pitcher Brandon Harmon has moved into sole possession of second place in the Gonzaga University record book for career appearances. Harmon, who has started five games this season and made three relief appearances, was tied for fourth with Craig Miller (1979-82) with 67 appearances to start the season. The senior currently stands at 75 appearances. Recently, he replaced Tyrone Cunningham (1986-89), who stood at 71, for second place. Harmon is on pace to break the all-time appearance record of 81 appearances, held by Matt Siwek (1996-00).
DOUBLE DUTY: Brandon Blank has overtaken a double-duty role for the Gonzaga University baseball team this season as the junior has seen time at the plate in 16 contests, while throwing 7.0 innings of relief. Blank, who is listed as an outfielder on the Zags' roster, has posted a .333 average at the plate with a triple and three runs scored. On the mound, he has allowed five runs on nine hits while striking out four. Saturday, against Sacramento State University, Blank earned his first career save as he pitched the final 4.0 innings of the second game of a doubleheader.
BULLDOGS POST HIGHEST FINISH IN WCC PLAY IN 2007: By posting victories over then-No. 17 Pepperdine University on May 11 and 12, 2007, the Gonzaga University baseball team locked up its highest finish in WCC history, securing second place. Gonzaga had never finished higher than fifth when the conference played a non-divisional format. The Bulldogs finished fifth in 1996 and finished the 2006 campaign tied for fifth. The WCC played a non-divisional format Gonzaga's first three years in the conference (1996-98) and then went to the divisional format from 1999-05 before returning to non-divisional play last season.
GOING YARD WITH DRAMATIC FASHION: Mark Castellitto has hit three career home runs, each of which came in somewhat dramatic fashions. Castellitto's first career home run came last season as he hit a two-out, two-run pinch-hit walk-off home run May 4 against Loyola Marymount University. The other two long balls came this past weekend as he went yard in back-to-back at-bats during consecutive innings.
MARCH MADNESS: The month of March is scheduled to be a long one for the Gonzaga University baseball team. The Zags are slated to play 22 games in the month, allowing for only eight days without any competitions. The Bulldogs will wrap up the month this weekend as they open West Coast Conference play with a three-game home series against Pepperdine University. So far in the month of March, GU has posted a 12-6 record.
NEWCOMERS SEE TIME IN THE STARTING LINE-UP: The Gonzaga University starting line-up has been loaded with newcomers to the Zags' program this season, as five different newcomers have earned starts in at least half of Gonzaga's games. Transfers Marcus McKimmy and Jason Chatwood, have each earned starts in all 25 contests, while Grant Kveder, a junior transfer, has started 21 contests. Freshman Brett Nicholas and sophomore transfer Drew Heid have each started 15 games. Anthony Synegal, a transfer from San Jose City, has started five games behind the plate and two as the designated hitter for the Zags.
PROTECTING POWELL: When senior Cory Powell takes the mound, you may notice something out of the ordinary. Powell, who redshirted the 2007 season, wears a helmet with a protective face mask when he pitches. During his junior season of high school at Borah High in Boise, Idaho, Powell took a ball off the face that changed his appearance on the mound forever. For the remainder of his baseball career he must pitch, play the infield or bat with the face mask, and subsequently the special helmet, in place. Earlier this season, Powell utilized a face mask that fit under a baseball hat, similar to one a basketball player would wear during a game. The mask interrupted his view, so Powell opted to return to wearing the special helmet on the mound.
KVEDER NAMED TOURNAMENT MVP: Junior Grant Kveder of the Gonzaga University baseball team was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2008 Pepsi/Johnny Quick Tournament. Kveder was named the MVP after posting an impressive .500 batting average during the six-game event. The Alberta native went 10-for-20 with five runs batted in, five runs scored and two stolen bases. Nine of Kveder's 10 hits came as singles and the junior recorded only one extra-base hit - a double. Kveder's strongest performance at the tournament was a 5-for-5 outing against New Mexico State University on Mar. 14. In the 17-10 Bulldog win, Kveder also drove in three runs while scoring three.
ZAGS PICKED TO FINISH FIFTH: The Gonzaga University baseball team has been selected to finish fifth in the 2008 West Coast Conference preseason poll, as voted on by the conference's head coaches. Reigning WCC Champion, University of San Diego, received seven first place votes and a total of 49 points to edge out the Pepperdine University, 42 points, and Santa Clara University for first place. The Broncos also received one first place vote and 32 total points. Loyola Marymount University checked in at fourth with 29 points, just edging out the Zags, who received 28 points. The University of San Francisco was tabbed for a sixth place finish with 24 points, while University of Portland and the Saint Mary's College were picked to finish seventh and eighth with 12 and eight points, respectively.
DOUBLE TAKE: When you look down into the Gonzaga University bullpen this season, don't take a double take, there are two Zag's who look alike - twins Kyle and Jake Adkins. The Adkins brothers join the Bulldogs from Walnut Creek, Calif., where they both played at Los Lomas High. As a junior, Jake earned first-team All-Valley conference with a 0.86 earned run average in 20 innings with 25 strikeouts before falling victim to an injury as a senior. Kyle was a two-time All-Valley Conference selection as he earned three varsity letters in baseball. It is believed that the Adkins brothers are the only pair of identical twins in a bullpen at the NCAA Division I level.
WCC Ranked No. 6 iN RPI: West Coast Conference baseball teams are enjoying tremendous success in the early part of the non-conference season, propelling the WCC to a No. 6 listing in the conference RPI ratings, according to boydsworld.com. The WCC trails only the Pac-10, the ACC, the Big 12, the SEC, and the Big West in the RPI rankings, and is listed above highly regarded baseball conferences like Conference-USA and the Sun Belt.
ZAGS RAKE IN LEAGUE HONORS: Former Gonzaga University standout Clayton Mortensen headlined eight All-West Coast Conference accolades during the 2007 season. Mortensen was named the conference's Pitcher of the Year as well as an unanimous All-WCC selection. Joining Mortensen as unanimous all-conference selections were current Zags' Shawn Wayt and Ryan Wiegand. Former Bulldog Darin Holcomb was named All-WCC, while current sophomore Jeremy Stumetz was named to the All-Freshman team. Former Bulldogs Aaron McGuinness, Mike Terry and current GU hurler Brandon Harmon were awarded honorable mention accolades.
BULLDOGS EXCEL IN CLASSROOM: Two members, including one current member, of the Gonzaga University baseball team were awarded All-West Coast Conference academic accolades last season. Former Bulldog Aaron McGuinness and current second baseman Evan Wells each earned the distinction. McGuinness earned a 3.48 grade point average in exercise science while Wells posted a 3.95 GPA in journalism, which also placed him on the University's president's list.
PATTTERSON BASEBALL COMPLEX AND WASHINGTON TRUST FIELD: The 2008 season marks the second year of play at Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field. The new home of Bulldog baseball is a state-of-the-art facility that also incorporates an old-time baseball feel. The new stadium includes 1,300 theater-style seats and includes classic brick detailing. Major League amenities include a state-of-the-art infield, a professional candle lighting system and authentic home and visitor dugouts with underground passages to full-service clubhouses. The first game at the new facility was March 15, 2007 against Rider University. The facility also features eight light poles, two which are 90 feet tall while the other six stand at 80 feet. Dedication ceremonies were held April 20, 2007 prior to the game against Saint Mary's College.
HEAD COACH Mark Machtolf: Mark Machtolf is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Gonzaga University baseball and 17th season as a member of the Bulldogs' coaching staff. Since being named head coach, Machtolf has posted a 129-111 record for a .538 winning percentage, placing him third all-time in Gonzaga history. During his tenure with the Zags', he has led the Zags to four-top five finishes and produced the 2004 WCC Player of the Year, Kiel Thibault, and the 2007 WCC Pitcher of the Year, Clayton Mortensen. He has overseen 33 Zags who have signed professional contracts, including 22 that were drafted into the Major Leagues. Under his guidance, Gonzaga has also landed 69 all-conference selections in addition to 15 All-WCC Academic honors. During the summer of 2006, Machtolf served as an assistant coach for Team USA. Under his guidance, the team posted a 28-2-1 record, including going a perfect at 8-0 record the Federation Internationale du Sport Universitaire (FISU) World Championships in Havanna, Cuba. A 1987 graduate of Stanford University, Machtolf was a member of the Cardinal's 1987 College World Series championship team and was an All-CWS selection.
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