SPOKANE, Wash. --- For the third straight day, Gonzaga topped the Portland Pilots by a single run as the Bulldogs took the series finale 5-4 in a West Coast Conference baseball game on Sunday afternoon at Avista Stadium. Gonzaga outscored the Pilots 17-14 during the three-game series sweep. Portland drops to 10-17 overall, 0-3 in the WCC.

For the second game in a row, the Pilots mounted a late rally that came up just short. Trailing 5-2, Portland scored one in the eighth and another in the ninth. In the top of the eighth, the Pilots had runners on the corners after sophomore Cory Wiltshire doubled and senior Nik Kosach singled. Freshman Sean Nicol then made it a two-run game with an RBI on a fielder’s choice.

Still down two in the top of the ninth, the Pilots had runners on first and second with Gonzaga reliever Cory Powell on the mound. Wiltshire picked up his third hit of the game with a single to right field that scored Danny Meier and pulled the Pilots within one. Powell then got Adam Kerr to ground out to third base ending the game. It’s Powell’s third save of the season and second save in the past two days.

Gonzaga (20-10, 3-0 WCC) starter Clayton Mortensen (5-4) lasted seven innings to pick up the win. He gave up two runs, both earned, on eight eights, while striking out three and walking three.

Portland starter Josh Roberts (2-4) also pitched seven innings. He gave five earned runs on 10 hits. He struck out five and walked four.

The Pilots had 11 hits, including four from Meier. The third baseman went 4-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Meier also doubled twice giving him eight for the season. Wiltshire finished 3-for-4 with a run and a double. Senior Travis Vetters had a hit in five at-bats, while knocking in two.

Junior Justin Ehlers went hitless in five trips to the plate, ending his hitting streak at 13 games, and Portland left 13 runners on base.

Gonzaga totaled 12 hits and got three hits each from Scott Campbell and Bobby Carlson. Campbell also had two RBI’s and hit his third home run of the season.

The Bulldogs took an early lead with three runs on three hits in the bottom of the first inning. The Pilots responded with a pair in the top of the fourth. Junior Jesse Rodgers led off the inning with a walk. Meier followed with a double that advanced Rodgers to third. Vetters then knocked in both with a double to right field. The Pilots then loaded the bases with one out before Mortensen got out of the jam with a fly out and a fielder’s choice.

Gonzaga added a run in the seventh.

Neither team committed an error.

Portland next travels to Seattle, Wash., for a non-conference game against Washington on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The Pilots topped the Huskies 8-5 at Joe Etzel Field on March 28.