Gonzaga's Marco Gonzales threw 11 inning while striking out 15 against LMU

Saturday day night was a big night for WCC baseball. Gonzaga hosted LMU for the first ever ESPN network televised baseball game of the conference. At 7pm one of the most incredible performances of the season began on ESPNU.

Gonzaga sophomore Marco Gonzales and Loyola Marymount freshman Trevor Megill had one of the ultimate pitching duals. Megill is an early enrollee for the Lions, and showed a spectacular outing for seven innings as he struck out eight and did not give up an earned run.

Gonzales did something nearly unimaginable. He threw eleven innings—eleven! In his start, a no-decision I might add, the kid earned fifteen K’s, did not give up one earned run, had no walks, and threw 139 pitches. He was on fire, in the national spotlight. The WCC, Gonzaga, and anyone watching, couldn’t have asked for a better performance on the inaugural West Coast Conference-ESPN network opening night.

Even with Marco having the night of his life, it took pinch hitter Payden Cawley Lamb, to end the game in the bottom of the twelfth, as he hit a shot  into center field to bring home Andy Hunter for a 1-0 victory. Zach Abbruzza earned the win for the Bulldogs, tossing 22 pitches in the twelfth inning and striking out two.

It was electrifying. It is a wonder how one can freeze in Spokane for over three hours with no runs to be scored in that time period only to be on cloud nine moments later when one of the most incredible pitching performances one could witness in college baseball was rewarded with a win.

If Saturday’s game wasn’t a momentum builder, then I don’t know what is. Look for the Zags to take the series Sunday as they are now split with the Lions 1-1.