Final Stats

MORAGA, Calif. -- For the third straight day Saturday, pitching took center stage at Louis Guisto Field, as Ken Waldichuk matched a career high with 12 strikeouts in 8 1/3 innings and Brett Rasso notched three hits including the walk-off double in the 12th inning to lift Saint Mary's to a 2-1 win, clinching the series over Gonzaga and moving into sole possession of third place in the West Coast Conference.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• No runs were scored after the fourth inning, as starting pitchers Waldichuk and Mac Lardner went inning for inning. The excellent pitching carried the game into extra innings. In the bottom of the 12th and the game tied 1-1, Jackson Thoreson walked on four pitches to put the winning run at first base with two outs. The very next batter, Brett Rasso launched a deep fly ball to the right center field wall that glanced off Daniel Fredrickson's glove, allowing Thoreson to score all the way from first base to win the game, and the series, 2-1.
  
  
• Both teams had their chances in regulation. With the score tied 1-1 in the ninth inning, and Gonzaga (13-12, 4-5 WCC) threatening with runners on first and second with one out, new-into-the-game third baseman Austin Piscotty turned a clutch double play, backhanding a grounder down the line, stepping on third base, and throwing over to first to end the inning and keep the game tied going to the bottom of the ninth.
  
  
• It was a classic pitchers' duel in Moraga, with Saint Mary's (15-10, 5-4 WCC) ERA and strikeouts leader Waldichuk taking the mound and scattering four hits over a career-long 8 1/3 innings and holding the Bulldogs to a single, unearned, first-inning run.
  
  
• Gonzaga got on the board early, pushing across a first-inning run via an Ernie Yake leadoff single that came around to score on a sacrifice fly to center after a throwing error that gave the Bulldogs the early 1-0 lead.
  
  
• Saint Mary's had early opportunities to tie the game, working runners into scoring position in the second, third, and fourth innings. The Gaels would eventually break through in the fourth against Lardner to tie the game 1-1 on a delayed steal by Edward Haus that snapped SMC's inning scoreless drought.

• 0.74: Waldichuk lowered his team-leading and top-10 national ERA to a minuscule 0.74. The Gaels ace has given up four earned runs over 48 1/3 innings.
• 11: After a first inning Gonzaga run, Waldichuk and reliever Michael Hobbs (2-0) combined to toss 11 straight scoreless innings to further lower the Gaels' conference-leading team ERA to 2.68.
• 12: Waldichuk struck out a career-high-tying 12 Bulldogs over a career-long 8 1/3 innings to give him a team-leading 63 strikeouts. Waldichuk also had 12 strikeouts on March 11 at Washington State.

• We've been struggling a bit offensively, but Waldichuk and Hobbs give us chances to take that big hit and win."
  
  
• This is a huge win to take us in to series against San Francisco who is leading the conference next week.

• "I had good command of my fastball until late in the game. I lost my slider a little early, but I got some good support from my defense, and I was able to execute my pitches when it mattered.

• Saint Mary's hits the road Monday for the start of a non-conference home-and-home two-game series against Sacramento State before returning home to finish the series against the Hornets on Tuesday.
  
  
• Fans can find all live coverage links on SMCGaels.com. Tickets for next week's home series and all home games can be purchased on SMCGaels.com or by calling the SMC Ticket Office at (925) 631-GoTx.