PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Pilots picked up a win in walk-off fashion, rallying to score three in the bottom of the ninth after Gonzaga jumped in front in the top half, sealing the victory on a single off the bat of Zach Toglia to defeat the Bulldogs 5-4 Sunday. The win clinched the series for the Pilots against the Zags.
Jacob Dobmeier (3-1) got the win out of the bullpen for Portland (22-17, 11-7). The right-hander went 1.2 innings, giving up three runs, all of them earned, on four hits, allowing no walks and striking out two. Nick Brink started the ballgame and went six innings, surrendering one run on five hits, walking two and striking out seven.
Toglia led the way offensively for the Pilots, going 2-for-3 in the ballgame with a home run, two walks and two RBI's. Briley Knight furnished a standout effort as well, going 2-for-4 with a double. Jake Holcroft also contributed with a critical two-RBI single in the ninth inning.
How it Happened
Trailing 1-0, the Pilots first put runs on the board in the fourth inning. Toglia put Portland on the board with a two-out solo home run off Jacob Rutherford.
The game remained tied until the eighth inning, when the Pilots briefly took the lead. Jake Tsukada came across to score the lone run of the inning for Portland, which brought the Pilots lead to 2-1.
Gonzaga then rallied to take a 4-2 lead off RBI hits from Dylan Johnson and Ezra Samperi. But Portland stayed resilient. With the bases loaded and two outs, Holcroft brought home two runs to tie things up at 4-4. Evan Scavotto walked to load the bases again, with Toglia now at the plate. Toglia lined a single through to left center to bring home a run and clinch the series for Portland.
Game Notes
» Brink struck out seven Bulldog hitters, a career high. His six innings pitched is also a career high.
» Portland's highest scoring inning was the ninth, when it pushed three runs across.
» Portland pitchers faced 39 Gonzaga hitters in the game, allowing six ground balls and nine fly balls while striking out 10.
» The Pilots drew five walks from Gonzaga pitching.
» Toglia led the Pilots at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI. He has hit six home runs now, second on the team, and had two in the series.
» The win gives Portland sole possession of second place in the WCC.
» This is the first series win for the Pilots over Gonzaga since 2015.
Up Next
The Pilots will be back on the road for a three-game series against the BYU Cougars. The series begins on Thursday, April 27 at 5 p.m. Check PortlandPilots.com for live stats and video options.
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