SPOKANE, Wash. --- Twice Portland took the lead, and twice the Gonzaga Bulldogs came back before claiming a 14-5 win over the Pilots in the finale of a three-game West Coast Conference series on Sunday afternoon at Patterson Baseball Complex & Washington Trust Field. Geoffrey Lee had four hits for the Pilots, who matched Gonzaga's 13 hits on the day.
Both teams left 11 runners stranded on base, and it was the Bulldogs (20-10, 9-3 WCC) who made the most of their opportunities after trailing 1-0 in the first inning and 5-1 in the third. After tying it 5-5, Gonzaga scored three runs in the fourth inning and five more in the sixth to take command of the game.
Portland's (13-19, 1-8 WCC) Kevin Wade also had a nice day at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two RBI's and a run scored. His first RBI came on a single in the top of the first, which scored Lee, who had previously doubled.
The Zags matched Portland's run in the bottom of the first, but Wade again brought home Lee with a single in the top of the third. Ryan Barr followed with a two-run double, and Kevin Farley kept the offensive surge going with an RBI infield single, making it a 5-1 game.
But again Gonzaga had an immediate response, scoring four in the bottom of the frame to even the score 5-5. The Bulldogs scored their final run in the bottom of the eighth inning.
The Pilots chased Gonzaga starter Hunter Wells with that four-run third inning, but three Bulldog relievers held Portland scoreless the rest of the way. Calvin LeBrun (2-1) takes the win after tossing 5.0 scoreless innings.
Jordan Horak (1-3) takes the loss on the hill, and Portland used five pitchers total.
Farley finished 3-for-3 at the plate, while 10 different Bulldogs had at least one hit.
Next up for the Pilots is a trip south to face the No. 9 Oregon State Beavers on Tuesday in Corvallis. First pitch for the two in-state rivals is set for 5:35 p.m.
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