Sunday, April 19
Moraga, CA
1:00 PM
Saint Mary's College of California
22-17, 8-7
5
vs
6
Gonzaga
23-14, 12-3
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gonzaga | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| Saint Mary's | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 1 |
#21 Jake Hilton: 6.0 IP (season high), 1 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 5 SO vs. Gonzaga
Photo by: Juan Bernabe (@jb.lenss)
BSB | Hilton Shoves in Career Relief Outing but Gaels Fall Short in Series Finale Thriller
4/19/2026 8:25:00 PM | Baseball
MORAGA, Calif. - The Saint Mary's baseball team dropped a thrilling contest in its West Coast Conference series finale with Gonzaga, falling 6-5 on Sunday afternoon.
The Gaels posted a five-run third inning which included a game-tying home run from Jacob Johnson to come all the way back and tie the game at five. Senior transfer Jake Hilton gave the Gaels great length out of the bullpen, allowing just one run off one hit over six innings of work to keep them in the game. Gonzaga held a one run lead after a solo shot in the fifth inning and also made some great defensive plays including a robbed home run in right field off the bat of Tanner Griffith to maintain the 6-5 advantage.
The Gaels put runners on the corners in the bottom of the ninth to threaten yet again but Gonzaga's Landon Hood would strikeout Diego Castellanos in a drama-filled eight-pitch at bat to end the game and complete the series sweep. Saint Mary's (22-17, 8-7) outhit the Zags 7-6 in the ballgame including a two-hit day from senior shortstop Jared Mettam. Ian Armstrong went 1-for-4 with a bases-clearing double in the Gaels five-run third inning, bringing his season RBI total to 28.
Gonzaga (23-14, 12-3) would complete the WCC series sweep over the Gaels for the first time since 2015.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Sophomore right hander Lukas Sarantos has been clutch for the Gaels out of the bullpen this season but was called to start game three on Sunday for just his third start of the season. Sarantos worked through two innings allowing just one run but ran into trouble in the third as Gonzaga loaded the bases and plated four runs to take a 5-0 lead through three.
The offense for Saint Mary's had been kept in check over the first two games of the series but the Gaels finally erupted for a big frame, cashing in five runs in the bottom of the third to match Gonzaga and tie the game at five. The Gaels loaded the bases and did all their damage with two outs. Ian Armstrong doubled to the left-center gap to clear the bases and put three runs on the board before Jacob Johnson crushed an opposite field shot for his ninth of the season to tie the game at five.
Just one more run would be scored over the final six innings of the game but Gonzaga would be the benefactor, hitting a solo shot from Maddox Haley to give them a 6-5 lead in the fifth. Senior southpaw Jake Hilton came in to replace Sarantos to start the fourth and was stellar, allowing just the one home run over six innings of work. Hilton kept the Bulldog hitters off balance all afternoon to keep the Gaels within striking distance.
Saint Mary's hit the ball hard all game long and even thought they had the game tying homer in the bottom of the fifth as Tanner Griffith rifled a ball to deep right field that was brought back several feet over the wall. The lead preserving home run robbery from right fielder Noah Meffert would prove pivotal as Gonzaga went on to win by just the one run, 6-5. Saint Mary's threatened again in the ninth, getting runners to the corners with two outs but Landon Hood struck out Diego Castellanos to end the game and complete the series sweep.
GAME NOTES
LOOKING AHEAD
Saint Mary's will head to Reno to wrap up its regular season series with the Wolf Pack on Tuesday before heading south to take on 2025 WCC Regular Season Champions in San Diego starting on Friday, April 24.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
The Gaels posted a five-run third inning which included a game-tying home run from Jacob Johnson to come all the way back and tie the game at five. Senior transfer Jake Hilton gave the Gaels great length out of the bullpen, allowing just one run off one hit over six innings of work to keep them in the game. Gonzaga held a one run lead after a solo shot in the fifth inning and also made some great defensive plays including a robbed home run in right field off the bat of Tanner Griffith to maintain the 6-5 advantage.
The Gaels put runners on the corners in the bottom of the ninth to threaten yet again but Gonzaga's Landon Hood would strikeout Diego Castellanos in a drama-filled eight-pitch at bat to end the game and complete the series sweep. Saint Mary's (22-17, 8-7) outhit the Zags 7-6 in the ballgame including a two-hit day from senior shortstop Jared Mettam. Ian Armstrong went 1-for-4 with a bases-clearing double in the Gaels five-run third inning, bringing his season RBI total to 28.
Gonzaga (23-14, 12-3) would complete the WCC series sweep over the Gaels for the first time since 2015.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Sophomore right hander Lukas Sarantos has been clutch for the Gaels out of the bullpen this season but was called to start game three on Sunday for just his third start of the season. Sarantos worked through two innings allowing just one run but ran into trouble in the third as Gonzaga loaded the bases and plated four runs to take a 5-0 lead through three.
The offense for Saint Mary's had been kept in check over the first two games of the series but the Gaels finally erupted for a big frame, cashing in five runs in the bottom of the third to match Gonzaga and tie the game at five. The Gaels loaded the bases and did all their damage with two outs. Ian Armstrong doubled to the left-center gap to clear the bases and put three runs on the board before Jacob Johnson crushed an opposite field shot for his ninth of the season to tie the game at five.
Just one more run would be scored over the final six innings of the game but Gonzaga would be the benefactor, hitting a solo shot from Maddox Haley to give them a 6-5 lead in the fifth. Senior southpaw Jake Hilton came in to replace Sarantos to start the fourth and was stellar, allowing just the one home run over six innings of work. Hilton kept the Bulldog hitters off balance all afternoon to keep the Gaels within striking distance.
Saint Mary's hit the ball hard all game long and even thought they had the game tying homer in the bottom of the fifth as Tanner Griffith rifled a ball to deep right field that was brought back several feet over the wall. The lead preserving home run robbery from right fielder Noah Meffert would prove pivotal as Gonzaga went on to win by just the one run, 6-5. Saint Mary's threatened again in the ninth, getting runners to the corners with two outs but Landon Hood struck out Diego Castellanos to end the game and complete the series sweep.
GAME NOTES
- Jacob Johnson homered for the first time since March 7 with a two-run shot in the third inning
- Johnson now leads the Gaels with nine homers on the season
- Ian Armstrong recorded his ninth double of the season and led all players with three RBI in the game
- Both teams combined for just 13 hits in the game
- Ian Armstrong recorded career hit number 100 with his double in the third inning
- Jared Mettam led the team with two hits for his 12th multi-hit game of the season
- Jake Hilton pitched a season high six innings in relief, allowing just one run off one hit while striking out five Gonzaga hitters for his best outing of the season
LOOKING AHEAD
Saint Mary's will head to Reno to wrap up its regular season series with the Wolf Pack on Tuesday before heading south to take on 2025 WCC Regular Season Champions in San Diego starting on Friday, April 24.
Be sure to follow your Gaels on Facebook, Instagram, and X to get all the latest Saint Mary's athletics updates and information.
#GaelsRise
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Joe Thornton (1-0)
L: Hilton, Jake (4-3)
S: Landon Hood (2)
Batting:
2B: Mikey Bell 1 ; Hudson Shupe 1
HR: Maddox Haley 1 ; Noah Meffert 1
RBI: Maddox Haley 1 ; Hudson Shupe 2 ; Noah Meffert 2 ; Tommy Eisenstat 1
SF: Noah Meffert 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Mikey Bell 1 ; Ryder Young 1 ; Maddox Haley 2 ; Hudson Shupe 1 ; Noah Meffert 1
HBP: Maddox Haley 1 ; Jacob Wrubleski 1
Batting:
2B: Armstrong, Ian 1
HR: Johnson, Jacob 1
RBI: Armstrong, Ian 3 ; Johnson, Jacob 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Castellanos, Diego 1 ; Sniffen, Makoa 1 ; Armstrong, Ian 1 ; Johnson, Jacob 1 ; Mettam, Jared 1
HBP: Sniffen, Makoa 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
C
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballLHP
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballRHP
/ BaseballBSB | Saint Mary's vs. Gonzaga Highlights, 4-19-26
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