Stockton, Calif. – The Pacific Tigers lost 10-5 to the Gonzaga Bulldogs today and ended up swept for the first time in the WCC this year with the loss.  Pacific managed some late-game offense but couldn't overcome a six-run inning from the Bulldogs in the sixth.  The loss makes Pacific 9-16 overall and 3-6 in the WCC.  Gonzaga is now 6-3 in conferece and 16-10 overall.

Jake Jenkins was back on the mound as a starter after making two relief appearances last weekend and picking up his second career save.  Jenkins went a season high 6.1 innings and struck out eight, which was also a season best for the senior.  Even so, he ended up with his second loss of the season after the Zags scored six on him in the fourth inning and eight runs total.

Justin Giovannoni relieved Jenkins in the seventh.  Fresh off a shutout three-inning relief appearance against San Francisco in which he earned his first career win, the sophomore looked solid if not for a two-run homer allowed.  Giovannoni struck out two in his 2.1 innings. 

Hunter Wells made his fourth start and seventh appearance for Gonzaga and went 4.1 innings, giving up three runs but striking out eight Tigers.  Justin Vernia earned the win with 1.2 innings of relief, during which he allowed two runs.  It was Vernia's first win this year.

Jenkins struck out two in the first, giving him multiple strikeouts in all but his one-batter appearance this year.   The senior would strike out a batter in all but one of his six full innings.

Danny Mayer reached on an error in the first.  Mayer stole second on a delayed steal four pitches later, giving him three stolen bases this year to tie for the team lead with Kevin Sandri.  Mayer did not have a stolen base in his career before this year.

Nate Verlin, who is batting .450 when batting sixth this year, singled in the second for Pacific's first hit.  Verlin sent a grounder in the hole near first base.  Gonzaga's Taylor Jones ranged over to make the play but couldn't get his glove down to grab the ball, allowing Verlin to reach.  The sophomore's batting average in the six-hole is 200 points higher than when he hits elsewhere.

While he has excelled at the plate all year, Louis Mejia had another chance to show his defensive chops in the third.  The senior ranged deep into the rightfield grass on a grounder, diving to prevent it from rolling free.  Mejia then tossed the ball off-balance to Verlin just in time to get the first out.

Blake Barry started the third with an infield hit, giving him a hit in every start this year and a .400 batting average as a starter.  Barry sent a high bouncer to third that forced the fielder to leap into the air to keep it from reaching the outfield.  The jump forced a tough throw, allowing Barry to reach first in time.  Unfortunately, Barry was picked off a few pitches later before J.P. Yakel was hit to reach base.

Sandri drew a walk on a full count next, moving Yakel to second.  It was Sandri's fifth walk in WCC play, tying him for most in the conference.  Sandri also has three HBPs and seven hits in conference play. 

A wild pitch put both runners in scoring position.  Unfortunately, the Tigers couldn't score a run.  In the series, Pacific went 6-for-30 with runners in scoring position.

The Zags took the first lead.  Three straight singles started the fourth, with the third driving in the man at second and making it runners on the corners with no outs.  A fourth single, this one past J.J. Wagner's diving glove, made it 2-0.

Jenkins recovered, getting his fourth strikeout on a checked swing for the first out.  Unfortunately, another single to center after a wild pitch scored two more runs to give Gonzaga a four-run lead.  It was the first time in his last ten starts that Jenkins has allowed more than three runs. 

Another run came across for Gonzaga when a high popup off the bat fell into short leftfield near the foul line for an RBI double, making it the most runs allowed by Jenkins in his last 16 appearances.  A sacrifice fly came next, making it 6-0.

Yakel recorded his 13^th caught stealing of the year to end the inning after six runs.  After opponents started the year 7-for-10 on the basepaths against Yakel, they have been successful just 52% of the time since. 

Gio Brusa walked to start the fourth for Pacific's sixth baserunner.  Verlin fell behind 0-2 but still singled to create a threat.  A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, putting men in scoring position once again.  Lucas Halstead drew his team-leading tenth walk after falling behind 0-2 to load the bases.

Barry sent the ball off the pitcher's glove for an infield single to score Pacific's first run of the day and reload the bases as the ball changed directions and escaped the shortstop, who had cut toward second on the ball's original trajectory. 

That was all the offense Pacific could manage as two strikeouts ended the inning.  The strikeouts were part of Pacific's 39 total Ks against Gonzaga this weekend.

A double started the fifth for Gonzaga.  The runner took third on a groundout to create another scoring opportunity.  Jenkins rung up another batter for his fifth strikeout before hitting his second batter of the game, putting runners on the corners with two outs. 

Yakel got his second caught stealing of the game to end the inning.  The man on first broke for second in what looked to be a ploy to send the runner from third.  Yakel faked a throw, then fired to third as the runner took too many steps toward home.  In WCC play, Yakel has allowed just five stolen bases and recorded six caught stealings.

Wagner doubled to start the bottom of the fifth.  The Tiger senior sent the ball bouncign down the leftfield line into foul territory, allowing him to coast into scoring position.  After that, Wagner moved to third on a failed pickoff that ended up in centerfield and then scored on a wild pitch.

After driving in two runs last night, Brusa blasted a ball to dead center for his second homer of the series.  The senior's homer was his third in his last five games, during which he has hit .476 with five runs, two doubles, three homers, and seven RBI. 

Jenkins looked his normal self once again in the sixth.  The righty struck out two more, giving him six in the game, matching his season high, a total he would later surpass as he ended with eight Ks.

Pacific had their second single of the day off the glove of the pitcher, this time allowing Lucas Halstead to start the sixth with a hit.  Bad luck struck for the Tigers, as Halstead was forced to stay close to first on a flyball to center from Barry.  The ball dropped in front of the diving fielder but Gonzaga was still able to get Halstead at second for the first out.

Yakel singled to the opposite field to push Barry to third after a wild pitch and give the Tigers men on the corners with the top of the order coming up.  Over the last five games, Yakel has hit .412.  A sac bunt moved Yakel to second. 

After starting the game 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position, Wagner had Pacific's second straight hit in such a situation to make it a one-run game.  Wagner hit a line drive to leftfield that hit the fielder's glove as he dove for a catch.  Two runs scored as Wagner wound up at second with his third double in four games.

The Zags extended their lead back to three runs with a two-run homer to right center with one out in the seventh.  A double followed, with the runner taking third on a wild pitch.  Jenkins got a swinging strikeout for the second out and ended his night there, with Giovannoni coming in and ending the inning with a groundout. 

Aftering homering in the fifth, Brusa doubled to left center to start the seventh.  It was Brusa's seventh double, tying him with Mayer for the team lead.  Brusa was doubled up to end the inning later on a liner caught by the second baseman.

Gonzaga added another two-run homer that landed in the same place as their last in the eighth, making it 10-5.  It was the first runs allowed by Giovannoni in his last 4.1 innings of work and put an end to the scoring in the game.

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