Friday, April 17
Moraga, CA
3:00 PM
Saint Mary's College of California
vs
Gonzaga
Photo by: Varun Aravind (@vflicks04)
BSB | Battle for First Place; Gaels Host Zags in Week Five of WCC Action
4/15/2026 5:14:00 PM | Baseball
MORAGA, Calif. - The Saint Mary's baseball team will garner one of the matchups of the week in West Coast Conference play as they host first place Gonzaga starting on Friday, April 17. The Gaels are just a game back of the Zags in the conference standings as the two hottest teams in the WCC will face off with both squads winning a combined 12 games coming into the series.
Saint Mary's (22-14, 8-4 WCC) will then conclude its regular season series with the Nevada Wolf Pack next week, heading to Reno on Tuesday, April 21. The Gaels lead the WCC with 22 wins this season and will have a chance to leap into first place with a series win over Gonzaga. Saint Mary's is 5-2 over its last seven meetings with the Zags as this weekend's conference series will be the last as WCC members.
GAME COVERAGE AND INFORMATION
BSB | Saint Mary's vs. Gonzaga | Louis Guisto Field at Br. Ronald Gallagher Stadium
Moraga Calif. | April 17-19 | 3/1/1 p.m.
Live Stats | ESPN+ | Tickets
BSB | Saint Mary's at Nevada | Don Weir Field at Peccole Park
Reno Nev. | April 21 | 4:00 p.m.
Live Stats | MW Network | Radio | Tickets
GAELS OUTLOOK
Gaels on 5-Game Heater After WCC Sweep of Santa Clara and Midweek over Nevada…
Saint Mary's pushed its win streak to a season high five games after defeating Nevada in a Monday shootout, 16-10. The Gaels also secured back-to-back WCC series sweeps after taking all three in Santa Clara over the weekend. Saint Mary's will enter week five of conference action with the second longest win streak only behind conference leader Gonzaga.
Over their five game tear, the Gaels have outscored their opponents 61-30 and have recorded a whopping 74 hits along with nine home runs. They also held their opponents to four or fewer runs in three of those games including stellar pitching performances from the likes of John Damozonio, Sam Kretsch and true freshman Max Johnson.
The Gaels won eight in a row in 2025, a win streak that crept into the WCC Tournament after starting the tournament 3-0 with wins over San Francisco, Gonzaga and LMU. Saint Mary's will go for six in a row and potentially more starting on Friday against Gonzaga.
Josephson and Armstrong Make History with Two Cycles in 5-Day Span…
Saint Mary's has been playing some of its best baseball of the 2026 season and during its five-game win streak the Gaels have also had some historic performances including a pair of cycles from Ian Josephson and Ian Armstrong for the first in program history.
Josephson beat Armstrong to the punch in the Gaels' midweek game against Bakersfield last Wednesday after going 4-for-5 including a game-winning two-RBI double in the seventh inning to complete the program's first ever cycle. Saint Mary's beat Bakersfield 14-4 as Josephson went for a career high four hits and six RBI, etching his name into the program record books. The cycle went down as just the third documented cycle in West Coast Conference history and the first since Portland's Matt Allen in 2001.
Then, just four days later, Ian Armstrong doubled in the top of the 13th in a wild extra-inning victory for the Gaels to complete his cycle and help contribute to a 15-11 win over Santa Clara. Two one of a kind feats accomplished within a week apart as Saint Mary's now holds the outright conference lead for most cycles with two. Armstrong was one of three Gaels to record four hits in the series finale win as Saint Mary's pushed its win streak to four games with the series sweep.
Damozonio Dominates, Leads WCC with Six Wins…
Senior right hander John Damozonio has been an anchor in the Gaels pitching staff for the last several seasons but has had a breakout 2026 campaign, emerging as the Gaels Friday starter and leading the WCC with a 6-1 record through his nine starts. Damozonio looks as polished and composed as ever, putting up career numbers in wins (6), ERA (2.42), and strikeouts (59) to stand as one of the premier starters in the WCC.
Damozonio picked up win number six last Friday in the opener against Santa Clara where he bested Broncos ace Max Bayles who came into the contest with a 3-1 record and as the strikeouts leader in the WCC. Damozonio tied his career high with his second consecutive 7-inning performance, allowing just one run off eight hits while striking out a game high eight batters. Saint Mary's won the opener 8-1 to give Damozonio his sixth win of the season and later went on to sweep the Broncos to improve to 8-4 in conference play.
Cardiac Gaels, Saint Mary's Comes From Behind Twice to Secure Sweep over Broncos…
Saint Mary's cruised to the game one victory over Santa Clara Friday night behind another 7-inning performance from John Damozonio but had to come from behind to secure wins in both game two and three.
On Saturday, the Gaels found themselves down 4-1 with the bats held in check but were able to put runs across in three of the final four frames including a five-run ninth inning to win 8-4. Nick Allred had the game tying RBI double in the ninth and then Diego Castellanos singled him home the very next at bat to put the Gaels in front for good. Sophomore right hander Sam Kretsch shoved in what was his 13th appearance of the season, pitching 3.1 scoreless innings in relief to earn his third win of the season and keep the Broncos hitters at bay.
Sunday's finale would go down as one of the wilder games in recent memory for the Gaels as they erased a five-run deficit through six innings, scoring all five runs over the final three frames to tie the game at seven and force extras. Saint Mary's got out of back-to-back bases loaded jams in the ninth and tenth inning and had some stellar defensive plays as well to maintain the 7-7 tie. They would take a three-run lead in the 12th only to give it right back in the bottom of the frame to force a 13th inning. The offense almost seemed angry in the top of 13th for the Gaels as they put up a five spot including a two-run blast from Diego Castellanos to give them a 14-10 lead. Ian Armstrong then completed his cycle with an RBI double to complete the five run inning. Finn Chapman gave the Gaels an inning and a third before departing for Sam Kretsch who made his second appearance of the weekend, getting the final out to seal the win and series sweep.
Offensive Firepower…
Saint Mary's leads the West Coast Conference in batting average, (.334), slugging (.510), on-base percentage (.414), runs (263), hits (425), doubles (83) and RBI (245) to stand as one of the best offenses in the country. Three of the top four individual leaders in batting average belong to the Gaels not to mention the on-base threat of Tanner Griffith who leads the conference with a .500 on-base percentage. Additional WCC leaders include Jacob Johnson and Makoa Sniffen who are knotted with 38 RBI each as well as a conference high 13 stolen bases from Griffith. Entering the weekend, Saint Mary's ranks third in all of Division I in batting average, 4th in hits, 13th in total doubles and 28th in slugging.
Series History…
Saint Mary's took two out of three in Spokane a season ago in what was arguably the most intense and drama-filled series of the 2025 season. The Gaels dropped the series opener by a run in walk-off fashion before coming back to win a pair of one run games on Saturday and Sunday to clinch the series. Saint Mary's is on a current three-game win streak over the Zags and has won five of its last seven matchups dating back to 2024. This weekend's series will mark the last WCC regular season matchup between the two programs before Gonzaga's departure to the newly formed Pac-12 next fall.
Saint Mary's will complete its first home and home series with Nevada since the 2022 season to start next week, heading to Reno to take on the Wolf Pack on Tuesday. The Gaels have won their last three meetings with the Wolf Pack including their first matchup here in Moraga just a week prior. Saint Mary's won a 16-10 shootout for its fifth consecutive win. Nevada will look for its first win over the Gaels since 2022 when they swept the regular season series, outscoring the Gaels 18-4 over those two games.
ABOUT THE BULLDOGS (20-14, (9-3 WCC)
The two hottest teams in the West Coast Conference will meet this weekend as Gonzaga is riding a seven game win streak after its sweep over Portland last weekend. The Zags are 9-3 in conference play and share the top spot with San Francisco after the Dons took two of three against San Diego last week. Gonzaga is the only other team in the WCC with a batting average over .300 along with Saint Mary's and also rank fourth with a staff ERA of 5.33.
Gonzaga returned notable starters from the 2025 season including WCC Player of the Year Mikey Bell and as a result, were picked to finish third in the coaches preseason poll. The redshirt junior got off to a slow start in 2026 but has since returned to his normal ways, hitting .331 with 45 hits and a conference high 14 doubles. Bell was also recently named to Baseball America's Team of the Week after his 11-hit performance against Portland. The Zags have not won the WCC Tournament since 2018 and will look to end their season on a high note before departing for the Pac-12 next fall.
ABOUT THE WOLF PACK (19-14, 8-4 Mountain West)
Nevada is off to a nice start here in 2026, sitting at 8-4 in Mountain West play just a half game back of New Mexico for first place. The Wolf Pack will conclude their regular season series with the Gaels next Tuesday but will first head to New Mexico this weekend in conference action with first place on the line. Nevada boasts one of the best mid-major offenses in the country, ranking fourth in Division I with a .326 batting average. Senior Jayce Dobie leads the charge in that category, hitting a Mountain West best .408 from the plate this season.
The Wolf Pack have been sliding as of late though, losing five of their previous eight games heading into the weekend. They've won three of their four Mountain West series though, including a walk-off winner in the finale against San Jose State last weekend. They'll head to Albuquerque this weekend to battle the Lobos for first place before seeing Saint Mary's for the second time in just eight days.
Tickets for the home series with Gonzaga can be bought online at smcgaels.com/tickets and you can catch all the action live on ESPN+.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
Saint Mary's (22-14, 8-4 WCC) will then conclude its regular season series with the Nevada Wolf Pack next week, heading to Reno on Tuesday, April 21. The Gaels lead the WCC with 22 wins this season and will have a chance to leap into first place with a series win over Gonzaga. Saint Mary's is 5-2 over its last seven meetings with the Zags as this weekend's conference series will be the last as WCC members.
GAME COVERAGE AND INFORMATION
BSB | Saint Mary's vs. Gonzaga | Louis Guisto Field at Br. Ronald Gallagher Stadium
Moraga Calif. | April 17-19 | 3/1/1 p.m.
Live Stats | ESPN+ | Tickets
BSB | Saint Mary's at Nevada | Don Weir Field at Peccole Park
Reno Nev. | April 21 | 4:00 p.m.
Live Stats | MW Network | Radio | Tickets
GAELS OUTLOOK
Gaels on 5-Game Heater After WCC Sweep of Santa Clara and Midweek over Nevada…
Saint Mary's pushed its win streak to a season high five games after defeating Nevada in a Monday shootout, 16-10. The Gaels also secured back-to-back WCC series sweeps after taking all three in Santa Clara over the weekend. Saint Mary's will enter week five of conference action with the second longest win streak only behind conference leader Gonzaga.
Over their five game tear, the Gaels have outscored their opponents 61-30 and have recorded a whopping 74 hits along with nine home runs. They also held their opponents to four or fewer runs in three of those games including stellar pitching performances from the likes of John Damozonio, Sam Kretsch and true freshman Max Johnson.
The Gaels won eight in a row in 2025, a win streak that crept into the WCC Tournament after starting the tournament 3-0 with wins over San Francisco, Gonzaga and LMU. Saint Mary's will go for six in a row and potentially more starting on Friday against Gonzaga.
Josephson and Armstrong Make History with Two Cycles in 5-Day Span…
Saint Mary's has been playing some of its best baseball of the 2026 season and during its five-game win streak the Gaels have also had some historic performances including a pair of cycles from Ian Josephson and Ian Armstrong for the first in program history.
Josephson beat Armstrong to the punch in the Gaels' midweek game against Bakersfield last Wednesday after going 4-for-5 including a game-winning two-RBI double in the seventh inning to complete the program's first ever cycle. Saint Mary's beat Bakersfield 14-4 as Josephson went for a career high four hits and six RBI, etching his name into the program record books. The cycle went down as just the third documented cycle in West Coast Conference history and the first since Portland's Matt Allen in 2001.
Then, just four days later, Ian Armstrong doubled in the top of the 13th in a wild extra-inning victory for the Gaels to complete his cycle and help contribute to a 15-11 win over Santa Clara. Two one of a kind feats accomplished within a week apart as Saint Mary's now holds the outright conference lead for most cycles with two. Armstrong was one of three Gaels to record four hits in the series finale win as Saint Mary's pushed its win streak to four games with the series sweep.
Damozonio Dominates, Leads WCC with Six Wins…
Senior right hander John Damozonio has been an anchor in the Gaels pitching staff for the last several seasons but has had a breakout 2026 campaign, emerging as the Gaels Friday starter and leading the WCC with a 6-1 record through his nine starts. Damozonio looks as polished and composed as ever, putting up career numbers in wins (6), ERA (2.42), and strikeouts (59) to stand as one of the premier starters in the WCC.
Damozonio picked up win number six last Friday in the opener against Santa Clara where he bested Broncos ace Max Bayles who came into the contest with a 3-1 record and as the strikeouts leader in the WCC. Damozonio tied his career high with his second consecutive 7-inning performance, allowing just one run off eight hits while striking out a game high eight batters. Saint Mary's won the opener 8-1 to give Damozonio his sixth win of the season and later went on to sweep the Broncos to improve to 8-4 in conference play.
Cardiac Gaels, Saint Mary's Comes From Behind Twice to Secure Sweep over Broncos…
Saint Mary's cruised to the game one victory over Santa Clara Friday night behind another 7-inning performance from John Damozonio but had to come from behind to secure wins in both game two and three.
On Saturday, the Gaels found themselves down 4-1 with the bats held in check but were able to put runs across in three of the final four frames including a five-run ninth inning to win 8-4. Nick Allred had the game tying RBI double in the ninth and then Diego Castellanos singled him home the very next at bat to put the Gaels in front for good. Sophomore right hander Sam Kretsch shoved in what was his 13th appearance of the season, pitching 3.1 scoreless innings in relief to earn his third win of the season and keep the Broncos hitters at bay.
Sunday's finale would go down as one of the wilder games in recent memory for the Gaels as they erased a five-run deficit through six innings, scoring all five runs over the final three frames to tie the game at seven and force extras. Saint Mary's got out of back-to-back bases loaded jams in the ninth and tenth inning and had some stellar defensive plays as well to maintain the 7-7 tie. They would take a three-run lead in the 12th only to give it right back in the bottom of the frame to force a 13th inning. The offense almost seemed angry in the top of 13th for the Gaels as they put up a five spot including a two-run blast from Diego Castellanos to give them a 14-10 lead. Ian Armstrong then completed his cycle with an RBI double to complete the five run inning. Finn Chapman gave the Gaels an inning and a third before departing for Sam Kretsch who made his second appearance of the weekend, getting the final out to seal the win and series sweep.
Offensive Firepower…
Saint Mary's leads the West Coast Conference in batting average, (.334), slugging (.510), on-base percentage (.414), runs (263), hits (425), doubles (83) and RBI (245) to stand as one of the best offenses in the country. Three of the top four individual leaders in batting average belong to the Gaels not to mention the on-base threat of Tanner Griffith who leads the conference with a .500 on-base percentage. Additional WCC leaders include Jacob Johnson and Makoa Sniffen who are knotted with 38 RBI each as well as a conference high 13 stolen bases from Griffith. Entering the weekend, Saint Mary's ranks third in all of Division I in batting average, 4th in hits, 13th in total doubles and 28th in slugging.
Series History…
Saint Mary's took two out of three in Spokane a season ago in what was arguably the most intense and drama-filled series of the 2025 season. The Gaels dropped the series opener by a run in walk-off fashion before coming back to win a pair of one run games on Saturday and Sunday to clinch the series. Saint Mary's is on a current three-game win streak over the Zags and has won five of its last seven matchups dating back to 2024. This weekend's series will mark the last WCC regular season matchup between the two programs before Gonzaga's departure to the newly formed Pac-12 next fall.
Saint Mary's will complete its first home and home series with Nevada since the 2022 season to start next week, heading to Reno to take on the Wolf Pack on Tuesday. The Gaels have won their last three meetings with the Wolf Pack including their first matchup here in Moraga just a week prior. Saint Mary's won a 16-10 shootout for its fifth consecutive win. Nevada will look for its first win over the Gaels since 2022 when they swept the regular season series, outscoring the Gaels 18-4 over those two games.
ABOUT THE BULLDOGS (20-14, (9-3 WCC)
The two hottest teams in the West Coast Conference will meet this weekend as Gonzaga is riding a seven game win streak after its sweep over Portland last weekend. The Zags are 9-3 in conference play and share the top spot with San Francisco after the Dons took two of three against San Diego last week. Gonzaga is the only other team in the WCC with a batting average over .300 along with Saint Mary's and also rank fourth with a staff ERA of 5.33.
Gonzaga returned notable starters from the 2025 season including WCC Player of the Year Mikey Bell and as a result, were picked to finish third in the coaches preseason poll. The redshirt junior got off to a slow start in 2026 but has since returned to his normal ways, hitting .331 with 45 hits and a conference high 14 doubles. Bell was also recently named to Baseball America's Team of the Week after his 11-hit performance against Portland. The Zags have not won the WCC Tournament since 2018 and will look to end their season on a high note before departing for the Pac-12 next fall.
ABOUT THE WOLF PACK (19-14, 8-4 Mountain West)
Nevada is off to a nice start here in 2026, sitting at 8-4 in Mountain West play just a half game back of New Mexico for first place. The Wolf Pack will conclude their regular season series with the Gaels next Tuesday but will first head to New Mexico this weekend in conference action with first place on the line. Nevada boasts one of the best mid-major offenses in the country, ranking fourth in Division I with a .326 batting average. Senior Jayce Dobie leads the charge in that category, hitting a Mountain West best .408 from the plate this season.
The Wolf Pack have been sliding as of late though, losing five of their previous eight games heading into the weekend. They've won three of their four Mountain West series though, including a walk-off winner in the finale against San Jose State last weekend. They'll head to Albuquerque this weekend to battle the Lobos for first place before seeing Saint Mary's for the second time in just eight days.
Tickets for the home series with Gonzaga can be bought online at smcgaels.com/tickets and you can catch all the action live on ESPN+.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
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/ BaseballBSB | Saint Mary's vs. Nevada Highlights, 4-13-26
Monday, April 13
BSB | Saint Mary's at Santa Clara Highlights, 4-12-26
Sunday, April 12
BSB | Saint Mary's at Santa Clara Highlights, 4-11-26
Saturday, April 11
BSB | Saint Mary's at Santa Clara Highlights, 4-10-26
Friday, April 10
