On a beautiful day at Benedetti Stadium, the home of the San Francisco Dons (22-26, 13-10 WCC), the Gonzaga Bulldogs (31-17, 18-5 WCC) clinched the West Coast Conference regular-season title and the No. 1 seed for the upcoming West Coast Conference Tournament in Scottsdale, Arizona. This was Gonzaga’s first regular-season conference title since 2022.
It wasn’t pretty for the Dons on the Hilltop from the first inning. In fact, it turned into a bloodbath after the first two innings, making a 12-0 statement.
The sealing win for the Zags came in a rout fashion, 13-0.
Gonzaga’s offensive firepower has lived up to the hype throughout the season and more, behind coach Mark Machtolf’s top-half of the lineup. Graduate Ricky Sanchez (Brooks Wallace Award candidate, given to the best shortstop in college baseball), redshirt junior third baseman Mikey Bell (reigning West Coast Conference Player of the Year), junior left fielder Ryder Young, junior designated hitter Maddox Haley, and redshirt senior right fielder Noah Meffert. It’s a cycle of fierce competitors and diverse personalities in the dugout, with extreme confidence to go along.
Sanchez, who went 1-for-2 with three walks in that leadoff spot for the Zags, spoke with the Slipper Still Fits about the patience at the plate he demonstrated today. As long as the Mexico City, Mexico native can get on first base, Sanchez knows the guys behind will bring him home.
“Just waiting for my pitch. They didn’t give it to me. Happy for Mikey (Bell), Ryder (Young), all those guys behind me. They’ll put me in… Pretty happy with all the guys, but we’re not done yet. Just gotta keep playing hard, show up every day, keep practicing the way we have done.”
There were multiple storylines to focus in on, but none more than sophomore left-handed pitcher Karsten Sweum’s no-hitter. A masterclass of an outing with the sixth recorded no-hitter in Gonzaga baseball history. No runs allowed and 15 strikeouts through 93 pitches thrown.
The game may have been mercy-ruled after the seventh inning, but still. Utterly ridiculous stuff from a cool, calm, collected Sweum. Backed by his offensive barrage, of course.
The “issue” for a college baseball program in Spokane, Washington, is the snowfall that comes in February and mid-March. Despite having to be on the road for the first 21 games of the regular season, Gonzaga has now collected 19 road wins. That’s the most in all of college baseball. Talk about a group that is well-connected and feeds off its chemistry in opposing clubhouses. Couldn’t be more noticeable during the celebration out in the Bay Area.
How the Zags fare in sunny Scottsdale at a chance for an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, that’s yet to be seen. As the top seed, Gonzaga will wait for the lowest advancing seed out of the first round on Thursday, March 21.
Before then, the seniors will be honored at the conclusion of the final regular-season series against the Seattle U Redhawks at Patterson Baseball Complex and Coach Steve Hertz Field, May 14 through 16.
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
