March 25, 2010

OREM, Utah - Gonzaga broke open a two-run game with eight runs in the top of the third and continued to cruise in the 23-12 victory over Utah Valley Thursday night at Brent Brown Ballpark.

The Bulldogs touched up UVU starter Zane Gray for 11 runs (10 earned) in 2.2 innings and they added three more runs (all earned) off Trevor Pulley and four runs (all earned) off Kyle Beecher and never looked back.

The Wolverines, who had 16 hits in the game, allowed the season-high 23 runs on a season-high 21 hits.

Gonzaga scored three runs in the top of the first, but the Wolverines added a run in the bottom of the frame in a sacrifice fly by Jace Brinkerhoff to score Jake Rickenbach, who singled to open the inning.

Two innings later, the Bulldogs (9-12) broke the game open with the eight-spot.

Trailing 12-1, the Wolverines (6-9) plated three runs in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double by Kevin Arendse and a two-run double by Derek Amicone. Gonzaga added six more in the top of the fifth, two in the six, one in the seventh and two in the eighth. UVU added two more runs in the fifth, three in the sixth and three more in the eighth.

Rickenbach went 4-for-5 for the Wolverines, while Chris Benson upped his hitting streak to 13 games by going 4-for-5 with a double and two RBIs. Brinkerhoff also had two RBIs as did Arendse.

Gonzaga's Mark Castellitto went 5-for-7 with three homers, seven RBIs and five runs scored.

The same two teams are back in action Friday night for Game 2 of the three-game set at 6 p.m.