GoZags: Zags Edged by TCU, Face Elimination on Sunday
FORT WORTH, Texas–The Gonzaga University baseball team dropped down into the loser’s bracket Saturday after a narrow 4-3 loss to No. 1 seed and host TCU at Lupton Stadium in Fort Worth.
The third-seeded Zags got a gritty performance from starter Eli Morgan, who tossed 7.2 innings and struck out eight batters. He allowed nine hits on the game, but four of them came in the eighth inning when TCU re-took the lead on a two-RBI single from Elliott Barzilli. The Horned Frogs’ third baseman saw the bases loaded with two outs and hit a blooper into right center field, allowing two runs to score. Gonzaga closer Wyatt Mills then entered the game and ended the jam with a ground ball to Bohling at third.
Mills escaped a jam in the ninth to keep the Bulldogs within one run. In the bottom of the frame, Gonzaga put the tying run on first base when Justin Jacobs singled through the left side for his first hit of the Regional. Redshirt junior Jarod Gonzalesthen came to the plate as a pinch hitter, but he hit into a double play to end the game.
After getting just one hit off TCU’s starter Jared Janczak through the first five innings, Gonzaga’s offense got to him in the sixth, ringing up the right-hander for four hits, including a big blast from Jeff Bohling for the lead. Nick Brooks led the frame off with a single, but the designated hitter was replaced on base with a fielder’s choice. Right fielder Sam Brown gave the Zags another runner for Bohling, who fell into an 0-2 hole against Janczak. GU’ third baseman then sent the next pitch over the wall in right center field to give Gonzaga a 3-2 lead. Two batters later, Tyler Frost ripped an infield single, chasing Janczak from the game.
The Horned Frogs took the early lead in the second inning, scoring once on a pair of hits and a fielder’s choice. One inning later, TCU scored again after two more hits: a triple and an RBI single.
Regional Update:
Gonzaga (36-20) will play No. 2 seed Arizona State in Sunday’s elimination game after ASU opened the day in Fort Worth with a 4-1 win over No. 4 Oral Roberts, eliminating the Golden Eagles. That elimination game between GU and ASU will begin at 12:00 p.m. Pacific (2:00 p.m. Central) on Sunday, June 5. The winner of that game will meet TCU later that day for the regional championship game.
If the Horned Frogs win that championship game, they advance onto the super regionals. If TCU loses, the two championship clubs will meet once more on Monday, June 6, at 1:00 p.m. Pacific (3:00 p.m. Central).
Bulldog Bites:
- Bohling’s blast was his eighth of the season and first home run since May 15 at Loyola Marymount. He leads the team in the category, he now also tops the squad with 49 RBIs. He drove three runs in with the four-bagger. Â It was his first go-ahead home run of the season.
- Morgan tossed 7.2 innings Saturday night, going at least seven innings for the 10th time this season. He’s pitched 111.0 innings so far in 2016, moving into a tie for fifth for most innings pitched in a single season. He’s even with Tim Gower, who tossed 111.0 in 1990. He also is tied for seventh with 107 strikeouts on the year.
- Brown led the Zags’ half of the first off with a walk, extending his on base streak to 30 games. That is now tied for the second-longest such streak in the last eight years, equaling Evan Wells’ 30-gamer in 2008. Mitchell Gunsolus has the longest after reaching in 43 consecutive games in 2014.
- Jones’ double in the fourth was his 26th of the season, moving into a tie for second-most in the nation. He’s also one away from tying the program’s single-season record of 27, set in 2009 by Tyson Van Winkle. The double is also GU’s 128th of the season, again one short of the single-season record.
Zag Speak:
Head Coach Mark Machtolf
- Opening Statement: “It’s a tough way to lose, of course, but it was a great ball game. Eli battled like a champ and Jeff had a huge hit. Our hitters made adjustments, and we hit the ball hard and gave ourselves a chance to win.”
- On TCU’s two-run eighth: “Eli made good pitches. They had the right guys up. We wanted Eli to face Luken Baker. They had a fortunate break there with the swinging bunt. I didn’t want to bring my closer in with the bases loaded. Eli is the best player on the team and we wanted him to have the ball.”
Third Baseman Jeff Bohling
- On facing an elimination game:Â “We are used to playing doubleheaders. We knew it was a possibility. We were hoping to not have to do that. I know we can do that and we’ll probably see TCU again Sunday night.”
Pitcher Eli Morgan
- Success in the middle innings: “I was keeping the ball low in the middle innings. The off-speed was working well and the two-seam and four-seam fastball. I was trying to keep them off balance. I was working different angles and arm slots.”
Next Up:
The Zags (36-20) will once again face Arizona State during the Fort Worth Regional, this time in an elimination game. That contest will begin at 12:00 p.m. Pacific (2:00 p.m. Central) on Sunday, June 5, again at Lupton Stadium. Gonzaga beat the Sun Devils to open the Regional 5-1.