Friday, May 5
Spokane, WA
6:00 p.m.
Saint Mary's College of California
19-21, 13-11
12
at
3
Gonzaga
17-26, 13-9
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Saint Mary's
1
4
0
1
2
0
2
0
2
12
13
1
Gonzaga
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
3
8
3
BASE | Convincing Game One Win For Gaels at Gonzaga
5/5/2023 9:57:00 PM | Baseball
SPOKANE, Wash. – Saint Mary's Baseball opened up a three-game set at Gonzaga with a bang, trouncing the Zags 12-3 in game one.
The win brings the Gaels within one game of Gonzaga in the WCC Standings, in a crowded upper half of the league bidding to make the conference tournament field.
It was another fantastic start for Connor Linchey, as he went 6.1 innings allowing just two runs on four hits, with two walks and four strikeouts. It was his fourth-straight quality start, fifth of the year, and the seventh-straight time he's gone at least six innings.
His offense spotted him a 1-0 lead on Christian Almanza's 14th home run of the season with two outs in the first inning. An RBI groundout for the Zags would tie the game at 1-1, but the SMC offense would erupt after that.
Redshirt freshman Eddie Madrigal got another start in right field and ripped his first double of the season into the right field corner to put the Gaels back on top 2-1. Then Gavin Napier showed his speed on a high chopper in front of home plate that scored a run without a throw. Napier would steal second and an error at short plated two, as the Gaels leadoff man scored all the way from second base for a 5-1 Saint Mary's lead.
After a leaping, running grab by Dalton Mashore in center stranded a pair of Zags in scoring position to end the third, Coleman Schmidt hit his 11th home run of the year to make it 6-1 SMC.
Gonzaga would double in a run in the bottom of the fourth, but Saint Mary's answered in the fifth when Nathan Chong singled into right center to score Napier and an error on a steal attempt by Chong plated Almanza for an 8-2 Gaels lead.
Chong would blast a two-run homer to deep left field in the seventh for his fourth dinger of the year, and Almanza would hit his second of the game (15) in the ninth to make it 12-2 Gaels.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
All nine SMC starters recorded a hit on the night. It was Chong's second three-hit game of the season, with other coming against first-place LMU on April 23. It was the second time he's had three RBIs this year after also accomplishing it in a blowout win over UC Davis on April 18.
It was Almanza's third game hitting two home runs this year, after hitting two homers in a game against Santa Clara and Pacific as well. Saint Mary's hit four home runs on the night, tying their second-highest total in a game this year.
The Gaels are now 8-2 in games started by Linchey, and are 10-8 when they hit multiple home runs in a game.
UP NEXT
Game two of the series in Spokane is set for 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 6.
The win brings the Gaels within one game of Gonzaga in the WCC Standings, in a crowded upper half of the league bidding to make the conference tournament field.
It was another fantastic start for Connor Linchey, as he went 6.1 innings allowing just two runs on four hits, with two walks and four strikeouts. It was his fourth-straight quality start, fifth of the year, and the seventh-straight time he's gone at least six innings.
His offense spotted him a 1-0 lead on Christian Almanza's 14th home run of the season with two outs in the first inning. An RBI groundout for the Zags would tie the game at 1-1, but the SMC offense would erupt after that.
Redshirt freshman Eddie Madrigal got another start in right field and ripped his first double of the season into the right field corner to put the Gaels back on top 2-1. Then Gavin Napier showed his speed on a high chopper in front of home plate that scored a run without a throw. Napier would steal second and an error at short plated two, as the Gaels leadoff man scored all the way from second base for a 5-1 Saint Mary's lead.
After a leaping, running grab by Dalton Mashore in center stranded a pair of Zags in scoring position to end the third, Coleman Schmidt hit his 11th home run of the year to make it 6-1 SMC.
Gonzaga would double in a run in the bottom of the fourth, but Saint Mary's answered in the fifth when Nathan Chong singled into right center to score Napier and an error on a steal attempt by Chong plated Almanza for an 8-2 Gaels lead.
Chong would blast a two-run homer to deep left field in the seventh for his fourth dinger of the year, and Almanza would hit his second of the game (15) in the ninth to make it 12-2 Gaels.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
All nine SMC starters recorded a hit on the night. It was Chong's second three-hit game of the season, with other coming against first-place LMU on April 23. It was the second time he's had three RBIs this year after also accomplishing it in a blowout win over UC Davis on April 18.
It was Almanza's third game hitting two home runs this year, after hitting two homers in a game against Santa Clara and Pacific as well. Saint Mary's hit four home runs on the night, tying their second-highest total in a game this year.
The Gaels are now 8-2 in games started by Linchey, and are 10-8 when they hit multiple home runs in a game.
UP NEXT
Game two of the series in Spokane is set for 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 6.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Linchey, Connor (4-1)
L: WILD, OWEN (4-6)
Batting:
2B: Chong, Nathan 1 ; Madrigal, Eddie 1
HR: Almanza, Christian 2 ; Chong, Nathan 1 ; Schmidt, Coleman 1
RBI: Napier, Gavin 1 ; Almanza, Christian 3 ; Chong, Nathan 3 ; Schmidt, Coleman 1 ; Madrigal, Eddie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Napier, Gavin 2 ; Mettam, Jared 1 ; Almanza, Christian 3 ; Ralston, Bill 1 ; Chong, Nathan 2 ; Schmidt, Coleman 1 ; McDonald, Blake 1 ; Madrigal, Eddie 1
SB: Napier, Gavin 1
CS: Mettam, Jared 1 ; Mashore, Dalton 1
HBP: McDonald, Blake 1
Batting:
2B: KALMER, BRIAN 1 ; STEM, SAM 1 ; JOHNSON, DYLAN 1
RBI: KALMER, BRIAN 1 ; STEM, SAM 1 ; JOHNSON, DYLAN 1
Base Running:
RUNS: APODACA, ENZO 1 ; PINALES, SAVIER 1 ; MARENCO, MASON 1
SB: KALMER, BRIAN 1
HBP: APODACA, ENZO 1 ; DUNN, HANK 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
3
AB
4
R
3
H
2
RBI
3
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
2
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
1B
/ BaseballC/1B
/ BaseballRHP
/ BaseballC/OF
/ BaseballCF
/ BaseballINF/OF
/ BaseballINF/OF
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