Clayton Shaw

SPOKANE, Wash. --- The Gonzaga Bulldogs topped the Portland Pilots 11-5 in a West Coast Conference baseball game Friday evening at Washington Trust Field. The Bulldogs jumped out to an early 7-0 lead after two innings en route the win.

Gonzaga improves to 3-6 in West Coast Conference play and 21-16 overall, while Portland slips to 2-8 in the WCC and 17-21 for the year.

It was a forgettable night for Pilots starter David Gruener (1-5), who managed to escape a bases-loaded jam in the first inning relatively unharmed before giving up six runs in the second. Up 3-0 after a Marcus McKimmy RBI single, Gonzaga broke the game open with a three run homer by catcher Tyson van Winkle. Van Winkle finished the night 2-for-4 with four RBI’s and three runs scored.

The seven runs were more than enough for Bulldogs starter Matt Fields (6-2), who kept the Pilots off-balance all night, lasting 7.2 innings and allowing only two unearned runs on four hits while striking out 10.

After falling behind 9-0 on a sixth-inning home run by Gonzaga’s Mark Castellitto, the Pilots mustered some offense late, plating two runs in the eighth and three runs in the ninth. But it was not enough to catch the Zags, who tacked on two insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth.

Clayton Shaw went 2-for-4 for the Pilots and collected two RBI’s on a single to right field in the ninth inning. Chase Powell also picked up an RBI double for Portland.

The Pilots and Zags continue their three-game series with a game on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.