PORTLAND, Ore. --- The University of Portland baseball team dropped both games of a rainy Easter Sunday double-header to Gonzaga, falling 7-4 in the first game and 6-0 in the second. Gonzaga earned the 2-1 series win with the sweep after losing 9-1 to Portland on Thursday. The Pilots go to 14-16 (2-4 West Coast Conference) on the season while the Bulldogs improve to 20-16 (4-2).

With rain falling on-and-off all day long, the Pilots were unable to manage much offense against the excellent Bulldog pitching, mustering only a combined eight hits on the afternoon compared to a combined 24 hits for Gonzaga.

Both Bulldog starters picked up complete game wins, with Clayton Mortensen (3-2) allowing four runs – two earned – and six hits while striking out 16 in the first game and Brandon Harmon (5-4) tossing a two-hit shutout in the late game. Junior Given Kutz (4-3) and senior Sean Sargent (1-3) took the losses for Portland.

The Bulldogs drew first blood in game one, with shortstop Aaron McGuinness hitting a solo home run to lead off the second inning. Gonzaga went on to string together four more hits in the inning, including a two-RBI single by first baseman Ryan Wiegand, to take a 5-0 lead.

The Pilots responded in the third inning, with junior rightfielder Danny Meier (pictured) and sophomore first baseman Chase Powell each collecting RBI singles after freshman left fielder Jeff Arbayo and junior second baseman Brandon Howard reached base on singles of their own. With two outs and two on, senior third baseman Jesse Rodgers hit a groundball to short that appeared to end the inning, but Wiegand mishandled the throw from McGuinness, allowing two runs to score.

But that would turn out to be all the scoring the Pilots would do for the rest of the game as Mortensen went to work, allowing only two hits the rest of the way.

Gonzaga tacked on runs in the fifth and the eighth innings to complete the scoring at 7-4.

For the Pilots, Arbayo finished 2-for-4, while Meier (1-for-3) and Powell (1-for-4) each collected RBI.

Kutz, who entered the game with a team-best 3.00 ERA and having allowed only six runs in his past 42 innings of work, threw seven innings, allowing six runs – five earned – and 10 hits while striking out four.

For the Bulldogs, Wiegand went 3-for-3 with three RBI, while second baseman Evan Wells went 1-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scores.

Game two belonged to Harmon, who didn’t allow a hit until the sixth inning en route to the complete game shutout. He finished the day facing only 33 batters, allowing two hits, walking three and striking out five.

Gonzaga took a 1-0 lead in the second inning after stringing together three straight singles, with left fielder Shawn Wayt knocking an RBI hit up the middle.

The Bulldogs pushed the lead to 4-0 in the fourth. Wayt doubled to lead off the inning and advanced to third on a single by designated hitter Mike Terry. The Bulldogs then attempted a squeeze play, but center fielder Nick Rhodes’ bunt came directly back to the mound. Sargent’s throw to sophomore catcher Paul Crowder was off-line, however, and allowed Wayt to score. The Bulldogs followed the throwing error with a sacrifice fly by Bryan Winston and an RBI double by Darin Holcomb.

Gonzaga completed the scoring in the eighth inning, plating two to provide the 6-0 lead.

For Portland, right fielder Cory Wiltshire and first baseman James Allen had the two hits. Sargent threw seven strong innings, allowing only one earned run – four total – and walking only one while striking out three. Freshman Ben Panther and senior Josh Roberts both made relief appearance, allowing a combined one hit and two unearned runs.

For Gonzaga, Wayt went 3-for-3 with an RBI while Holcomb went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Next up for the Pilots is a non-conference road game on Tuesday, April 10 against Oregon State. Portland then heads out for its first WCC road trip, traveling to San Diego to face the Toreros in a three game series.

Portland’s next home game is a non-conference meeting with Washington on Tuesday, April 17, before hosting San Francisco for a three game series beginning Friday, April 20.