SPOKANE, Wash. -- The Portland Pilots opened the West Coast Conference baseball season with a bitter 8-7 loss to Northwest rival Gonzaga in 10 innings Friday afternoon at Avista Stadium. The Pilots (10-15, 0-1 WCC) went ahead 7-5 in the top of the tenth, but gave up three runs in the bottom half of the frame, including the game-winner on a dropped fly ball.

Trailing 5-3 in the sixth inning, Portland junior center fielder Justin Ehlers hit his first home run of the season to make it a one run deficit. Ehlers drew a one-out walk in the eighth, advanced to third on a single by freshman second baseman Sean Nicol and would later score the tying run on a sacrifice fly from senior catcher Nik Kosach.

Gonzaga (18-10, 1-0 WCC) loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth, but UP junior right hander Josh Roberts induced two flyouts to escape unscathed.

In the tenth, Ehlers again got the Pilots going with a one-out single. Nicol followed with a double to right-center, scoring Ehlers all the way from first. Freshman catcher Paul Crowder later singled Nicol home to give the Pilots a 7-5 lead.

Junior closer Austin Dirkx began his second inning of work, but gave up a leadoff walk to Alex Parrott. Jackson Brennan followed with a double and Parrott scored on a sacrifice fly by Darin Holcomb. Following a game-tying RBI double by Scott Campbell and an intentional walk, Dirkx struck out Bobby Carlson for the second out of the frame. Dustin Colclough then hit a fly ball to left and reserve outfielder Adam Kerr was unable to make the catch as Campbell scored easily from second.

Dirkx (1-2) took the loss, while GU reliever Brandon Harmon (1-0) earned the win, going 4.1 innings in relief of starter Josh Monroe. Harmon allowed three runs (two earned) and struck out four.

UP starter Ari Ronick tossed 3.1 innings and allowed five runs (four earned) on 10 hits with four strikeouts. Monroe went 5.2 innings for the Bulldogs, surrendering four runs (two earned) on eight hits and three walks with four strikeouts.

Nicol collected Portland’s second five-hit day of the season and raised with average to a team-best .436 on the season. He drove in two and also scored two runs. Ehlers extended his hitting streak to 12 games and finished 2-for-3 with three runs scored and two walks.

Brennan led the Bulldogs with two solo home runs and a double. Holcomb, Campbell and Colclough also collected three hits each for the Zags.

The teams will continue the three-game series on Saturday at 1 p.m. and conclude the set with a 1 p.m. start on Sunday.