Tweet
Gonzaga Baseball Hosts USF, League Lead on the Line
Baseball Hosts USF, League Lead on the Line
Friday opener to be televised on ESPNU at 7 p.m.
Gonzaga (20-17, 12-6) vs. San Francisco (24-17, 12-6)
April 26-28 | Spokane, Wash. | Patterson Baseball Complex and Coach Steve Hertz Field
Live Video | Live Stats
Friday, April 26 | 7 p.m. | ESPNU
USF RHP Riley Ornido vs. GU LHP Mason Wells
Saturday, April 27 | 6 p.m. | TheW.tv
USF LHP Scott Parker vs. GU LHP Mason Wells
Sunday, April 28 | 12 p.m. | SWX/TheW.tv
TBA vs. TBA
Johnston, Nyquist, Morrison on a Tear in April
- The bulk of the GU offense has come from Troy Johnston and Nick Nyquist over the past month - 13 games in April heading into USF series.
- Johnston is third in the NCAA in doubles with 20 (behind two others that have 21), 11 of which have come in the month of April.
- Johnston has raised his batting average 43 points since April 1st (.286 to .320) by hitting .382 in April.
- Nyquist raised his batting average 59 points (.237 to .296) by hitting .367 in the month.
- Nyquist has slugged .796 and reached base at a .448 clip for an April OPS of 1.244.
- Nyquist has hit five homers, four doubles, a triple, 13 runs and knocked in 21 RBI -- courtesy of two five-RBI games -- in April.
- Morrison raised his batting average 35 points (.281 to .316) by hitting .371 in April.
- Morrison has a team-best 23 hits in the month with seven doubles, six RBI and 12 runs scored.
Freshman Wells into Starting Role
- Mason Wells was moved into the Friday starting role as a freshman and has responded nicely.
- Wells has started six games and compiled a 3.99 earned-run average, while holding hitters to a .196 batting average.
- He has two 8.0-inning complete games in his six starts, the only two complete games on the GU staff this season.
- Wells has gone less than 5.0 innings just once in the span -- a 4.2-inning outing against Pacific that GU won.
- Wells went 7.0 innings at Portland last weekend, allowing just two runs on four hits with four strikeouts, to earn his first collegiate win.
Jacob on NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List
- Alek Jacob was one of 45 players nationally named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List.
- Starting out the year as a starter, but converting to the closer due to need, he has racked up eight saves, leads the team with five wins, and has 60 strikeouts in 54.2 innings pitched.
- The sophomore stepped back into the starting role against Santa Clara over the weekend and went 5.0 innings, earning a win.
- Jacob is holding opposing hitters to a .188 batting average and has a 1.65 ERA on the year.
Zags Take Two of Three at Santa Clara
- Gonzaga dropped the opener 4-0 at Santa Clara, but bounced back to take the next two games and win the road series.
- Nick Nyquist had a huge second game, going 3-for-5 with a double, triple, home run and five RBI.
- Alek Jacob went 5.0 innings to get the win in that second game.
- On Sunday, Mac Lardner got the victory, going 8.1 innings, while Nick Trogrlic-Iverson got his first-career save.
Pac-12 Foes Aplenty
- Gonzaga is now 3-4 against the Pac-12 this season after falling 11-10 against No. 3 Stanford on Monday and defeating Washington State 8-5 on Tuesday.
- Against WSU, the Zags got a two-run homer from Troy Johnston and 2.2 hitless innings from Trent Schulte to close out the game.
- Earlier this season, Gonzaga won 5-3 on the road at Utah. In that game, the Zags got 4.1 innings from lefty starter Matthew Henckel (2 R, 7 H) and 4.2 innings from the bullpen (combined 1 R, 6 H), and Nick Nyquist hit a three-run homer with the Zags down 2-1 in the sixth to put them ahead for good.
- In March, Gonzaga took down last year's College World Series participant Washington in a single-game midweek contest, 5-4. The Zags got out to leads of 3-0 and 4-3, before breaking a four-all tie in the bottom of the eighth. Ernie Yake knocked home Brett Harris with a hard-hit ball to the first baseman's left for the deciding run. Michael Spellacy came out in the ninth and went 1-2-3 for his first career save.
Johnston Named WCC Player of the Week (4/14)
- Junior outfielder Troy Johnston hit .643 (9-for-14) in three games, collecting at least two hits in each game. He had four doubles, scored four times and knocked in two runs.
- On Friday, Johnston went 2-for-5 with a double and scored a run in GU's 4-2 series-opening win. Then on Saturday, he helped GU to a 19-3 win with three hits, including two doubles, three runs and an RBI. Then on Sunday in an 11-inning, 4-3 GU win, he went 4-for-5 with a double and an RBI.
- For the week, he also had seven putouts in right field without an error and notched a slugging percentage of .929.
- Johnston's huge week moved him into the No. 1 spot nationally in doubles per game at 0.56, and third in total doubles with 18.
Harris Breaks Out
- JuCo transfer 3B Brett Harris had eight hits (.444) across four games two weeks ago and then added a three-run homer -- his first as a Zag -- against Pacific on that Friday.
- Harris' biggest game came in the series finale against San Diego with two doubles, four RBI and two walks. He got the Gonzaga rally started in the ninth inning with the team down by three when he ripped a two-run double to left, and GU went on to win in walk-off fashion.
- He also had a 3-for-4 day in GU's midweek win over Washington with a double, RBI and run scored.
Team Notes
- Gonzaga has played in five extra-inning games this season and is 4-1 overall.
- Gonzaga has won seven of its last 10 games.
- GU is 6-3 at home and 13-11 in true road games.
- Gonzaga has 87 doubles to just 45 for opponents, but has 22 total homers compared to 42 for opponents.
- GU is sixth nationally in doubles per game at 2.35 with Troy Johnston's second-ranked 0.54 doubles per game.
- Gonzaga is also good at taking pitches, getting HBPs 51 times on the year.
- GU has also struck out 45 less times than their opponents in total on the year - 259-213.
Offense Rolling
- Gonzaga has at least 10 hits in 11 of the last 15 games and scored six runs or more in six of the last eight games.
- In 13 April games, GU is hitting .294 as a team, compared to hitting just .259 in the month of March.
- Nick Nyquist has been on fire when it comes to driving in runs, going 19-for-44 (.432) with runners in scoring position. Josh Bristyan is 7-for-18 (.389) and Troy Johnston is 15-for-41 (.366) with RISP.
- Nyquist leads the way with 35 RBI on the season, while eight others have at least 10, including Johnston's 24, Pinorini's 22 and Yake's 21.
Streaks
- Troy Johnston and Austin Pinorini each have current nine-game hitting streaks.
- Ernie Yake has reached base in each of the last nine games as well.
Spellacy Rising
- Michael Spellacy earned his first-career save with a perfect ninth inning against Washington in a 5-4 win.
- This past week, he was moved into a Saturday starting role at Portland and gave the Zags 6.0 innings of one-run ball, allowing just three hits and striking out four with no walks.
- He pitched 2.0 innings of scoreless relief against Pacific, allowing just one base runner.
- Spellacy also went 5.0 innings of relief at Pepperdine on Saturday of that series, allowing just one run on four hits.
- Spellacy had a solid outing in his time on the mound at Texas A&M. In the second game of the series, he worked 3.2 shutout innings in relief.
Friday opener to be televised on ESPNU at 7 p.m.
Gonzaga (20-17, 12-6) vs. San Francisco (24-17, 12-6)
April 26-28 | Spokane, Wash. | Patterson Baseball Complex and Coach Steve Hertz Field
Live Video | Live Stats
Friday, April 26 | 7 p.m. | ESPNU
USF RHP Riley Ornido vs. GU LHP Mason Wells
Saturday, April 27 | 6 p.m. | TheW.tv
USF LHP Scott Parker vs. GU LHP Mason Wells
Sunday, April 28 | 12 p.m. | SWX/TheW.tv
TBA vs. TBA
Johnston, Nyquist, Morrison on a Tear in April
- The bulk of the GU offense has come from Troy Johnston and Nick Nyquist over the past month - 13 games in April heading into USF series.
- Johnston is third in the NCAA in doubles with 20 (behind two others that have 21), 11 of which have come in the month of April.
- Johnston has raised his batting average 43 points since April 1st (.286 to .320) by hitting .382 in April.
- Nyquist raised his batting average 59 points (.237 to .296) by hitting .367 in the month.
- Nyquist has slugged .796 and reached base at a .448 clip for an April OPS of 1.244.
- Nyquist has hit five homers, four doubles, a triple, 13 runs and knocked in 21 RBI -- courtesy of two five-RBI games -- in April.
- Morrison raised his batting average 35 points (.281 to .316) by hitting .371 in April.
- Morrison has a team-best 23 hits in the month with seven doubles, six RBI and 12 runs scored.
Freshman Wells into Starting Role
- Mason Wells was moved into the Friday starting role as a freshman and has responded nicely.
- Wells has started six games and compiled a 3.99 earned-run average, while holding hitters to a .196 batting average.
- He has two 8.0-inning complete games in his six starts, the only two complete games on the GU staff this season.
- Wells has gone less than 5.0 innings just once in the span -- a 4.2-inning outing against Pacific that GU won.
- Wells went 7.0 innings at Portland last weekend, allowing just two runs on four hits with four strikeouts, to earn his first collegiate win.
Jacob on NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List
- Alek Jacob was one of 45 players nationally named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List.
- Starting out the year as a starter, but converting to the closer due to need, he has racked up eight saves, leads the team with five wins, and has 60 strikeouts in 54.2 innings pitched.
- The sophomore stepped back into the starting role against Santa Clara over the weekend and went 5.0 innings, earning a win.
- Jacob is holding opposing hitters to a .188 batting average and has a 1.65 ERA on the year.
Zags Take Two of Three at Santa Clara
- Gonzaga dropped the opener 4-0 at Santa Clara, but bounced back to take the next two games and win the road series.
- Nick Nyquist had a huge second game, going 3-for-5 with a double, triple, home run and five RBI.
- Alek Jacob went 5.0 innings to get the win in that second game.
- On Sunday, Mac Lardner got the victory, going 8.1 innings, while Nick Trogrlic-Iverson got his first-career save.
Pac-12 Foes Aplenty
- Gonzaga is now 3-4 against the Pac-12 this season after falling 11-10 against No. 3 Stanford on Monday and defeating Washington State 8-5 on Tuesday.
- Against WSU, the Zags got a two-run homer from Troy Johnston and 2.2 hitless innings from Trent Schulte to close out the game.
- Earlier this season, Gonzaga won 5-3 on the road at Utah. In that game, the Zags got 4.1 innings from lefty starter Matthew Henckel (2 R, 7 H) and 4.2 innings from the bullpen (combined 1 R, 6 H), and Nick Nyquist hit a three-run homer with the Zags down 2-1 in the sixth to put them ahead for good.
- In March, Gonzaga took down last year's College World Series participant Washington in a single-game midweek contest, 5-4. The Zags got out to leads of 3-0 and 4-3, before breaking a four-all tie in the bottom of the eighth. Ernie Yake knocked home Brett Harris with a hard-hit ball to the first baseman's left for the deciding run. Michael Spellacy came out in the ninth and went 1-2-3 for his first career save.
Johnston Named WCC Player of the Week (4/14)
- Junior outfielder Troy Johnston hit .643 (9-for-14) in three games, collecting at least two hits in each game. He had four doubles, scored four times and knocked in two runs.
- On Friday, Johnston went 2-for-5 with a double and scored a run in GU's 4-2 series-opening win. Then on Saturday, he helped GU to a 19-3 win with three hits, including two doubles, three runs and an RBI. Then on Sunday in an 11-inning, 4-3 GU win, he went 4-for-5 with a double and an RBI.
- For the week, he also had seven putouts in right field without an error and notched a slugging percentage of .929.
- Johnston's huge week moved him into the No. 1 spot nationally in doubles per game at 0.56, and third in total doubles with 18.
Harris Breaks Out
- JuCo transfer 3B Brett Harris had eight hits (.444) across four games two weeks ago and then added a three-run homer -- his first as a Zag -- against Pacific on that Friday.
- Harris' biggest game came in the series finale against San Diego with two doubles, four RBI and two walks. He got the Gonzaga rally started in the ninth inning with the team down by three when he ripped a two-run double to left, and GU went on to win in walk-off fashion.
- He also had a 3-for-4 day in GU's midweek win over Washington with a double, RBI and run scored.
Team Notes
- Gonzaga has played in five extra-inning games this season and is 4-1 overall.
- Gonzaga has won seven of its last 10 games.
- GU is 6-3 at home and 13-11 in true road games.
- Gonzaga has 87 doubles to just 45 for opponents, but has 22 total homers compared to 42 for opponents.
- GU is sixth nationally in doubles per game at 2.35 with Troy Johnston's second-ranked 0.54 doubles per game.
- Gonzaga is also good at taking pitches, getting HBPs 51 times on the year.
- GU has also struck out 45 less times than their opponents in total on the year - 259-213.
Offense Rolling
- Gonzaga has at least 10 hits in 11 of the last 15 games and scored six runs or more in six of the last eight games.
- In 13 April games, GU is hitting .294 as a team, compared to hitting just .259 in the month of March.
- Nick Nyquist has been on fire when it comes to driving in runs, going 19-for-44 (.432) with runners in scoring position. Josh Bristyan is 7-for-18 (.389) and Troy Johnston is 15-for-41 (.366) with RISP.
- Nyquist leads the way with 35 RBI on the season, while eight others have at least 10, including Johnston's 24, Pinorini's 22 and Yake's 21.
Streaks
- Troy Johnston and Austin Pinorini each have current nine-game hitting streaks.
- Ernie Yake has reached base in each of the last nine games as well.
Spellacy Rising
- Michael Spellacy earned his first-career save with a perfect ninth inning against Washington in a 5-4 win.
- This past week, he was moved into a Saturday starting role at Portland and gave the Zags 6.0 innings of one-run ball, allowing just three hits and striking out four with no walks.
- He pitched 2.0 innings of scoreless relief against Pacific, allowing just one base runner.
- Spellacy also went 5.0 innings of relief at Pepperdine on Saturday of that series, allowing just one run on four hits.
- Spellacy had a solid outing in his time on the mound at Texas A&M. In the second game of the series, he worked 3.2 shutout innings in relief.
Gonzaga Article Link
Comment