UP TO BAT: The Gonzaga University baseball team will continue a nine-game home stand this week as they welcome the University of Washington to Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field for a two-game nonconference series. The series will open Monday at 6 p.m. before a game Tuesday at 3 p.m. The games will mark the fourth and fifth games in five days for GU.

ON DECK: Gonzaga University will resume West Coast Conference play this weekend as the Zags wrap up a nine-game home stand hosting the University of Portland. The three-game set will open Friday at 6:30 before games Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m. All three games will be at the Bulldogs' home, Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field.

LAST OUTING: The Gonzaga University dropped a crucial three-game West Coast Conference series to visiting Santa Clara University. The Zags allowed five home runs accounting for 10 runs Friday night as they dropped a 12-4 decision to the Broncos. Gonzaga rebounded Saturday, earning a 5-4 victory as freshman Cody Martin tied the GU single season save record with his seventh save of the year. In the rubber match Sunday, the Bulldogs played catch-up the entire game until SCU broke open with five runs over the sixth and seventh innings to earn a 9-5 victory. In midweek play last week, a grand slam by Ryan Wiegand sparked a seven run eighth inning as the Bulldogs' downed visiting Washington State University on Tuesday night.

MARTIN NAMED CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK: Freshman Cody Martin has been named the West Coast Conference Co-Pitcher of the week for the week of April 14. Last week, the freshman earned two saves, allowing no runs on two hits while striking out four in 3.1 innings. His save Saturday against Santa Clara University tied the school record for single season saves with seven. The honor is the first time this season a Bulldog pitcher has been named WCC Pitcher of the Week. Earlier in the season Grant Kveder and Marcus McKimmy were each awarded Player of the Week accolades.

LIVE ON THE RADIO: The Gonzaga University baseball team will have 12 remaining games aired live on the radio in the greater Spokane area this season. The University of Washington, University of Portland, Oregon State University, University of San Francisco series and one game against Washington State University will be aired live on 1510 KGA. The broadcasts will begin 15 minutes prior to the scheduled first pitch. Calling games for the Bulldogs will be Tom Hudson with former head coach Steve Hertz providing color commentary.

LIVE ON THE INTERNET: All Gonzaga University home games and select away games will be available via Gametracker on the internet at http://www.gozags.com. Check the Bulldogs' web site for all Gametracker links.

SCOUTING THE HUSKIES: The University of Washington enters the week with a 23-10 record, including going 5-5 when playing away from the confines of Husky Ballpark. The Dawgs are led by Aaron Russell, who in 20 contests boasts a .442 average. Washington is paced by its pitching staff, which boasts a 3.18 earned run average. In the national rankings released last week, UW was ranked fourth in the nation. The Huskies were also ranked 12th in fielding with a .975 percentage. Seven Husky pitchers maintain an earned run average lower than 3.00, including Jorden Merry. In eight appearances, six starts, Merry has posted a 4-0 record with a 1.67 ERA. The Huskies travel to Spokane fresh off a three-game series with Brigham Young University, in which UW took two-of-three games. All-time, the Dawgs hold a 68-51 advantage over Gonzaga University.

LAST SEASON VS. WASHINGTON: The Gonzaga University and University of Washington baseball teams met on the field twice last season, with each team taking home a victory. On March 21, the Bulldogs welcomed the Huskies to Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field as the Zags earned a 12-0 shutout. Jeremy Stumetz earned the victory as the freshman pitched a four-hit complete game with six strikeouts. The Zags traveled to Seattle for the second game on May 15 for their regular-season finale. Washington rallied to score 14 runs over the final three frames to capture a 16-6 win. In the two-game series, GU was paced by Ryan Wiegand who hit at a .571 clip.

WIEGAND DOUBLES HIS WAY INTO ALL-TIME RANKS: Ryan Wiegand posted four doubles in the three-game series with Santa Clara University, propelling him into the career doubles ranks. For his career, the junior has recorded 44 doubles, placing him ninth on the all-time list. Thanks to his efforts this past weekend, Wiegand surpassed both Mac Gebbers (1978-82) and Don Lyons (1973-76) to enter the list. Gebbers and Lyons were listed at ninth and tenth with 43 and 42 doubles, respectively. The Gonzaga record holder for career doubles is Jerrod Wong (1993-96), who posted 59 all-time doubles.

CASTELLITTO PROVING WORTH: Mark Castellitto continues to prove how he has earned his way into the Gonzaga University starting lineup. The sophomore is batting .307 in 24 games this season, going 23-for-75 with two triples, five doubles, four home runs, 12 runs scored and 12 runs batted in. Last season, in 40 games, including 25 starts, Castellitto hit .236 with 15 runs scored.

ROOKIE TIES SINGLE SEASON RECORD: Freshman Cody Martin will be looking to become the Gonzaga University single season saves leader this week. Saturday, Martin pitched 2.1 innings allowing no runs on two hits to tie the 26-year old school record of 7 saves. The native of Dos Palos, Calif. is now tied with Randy Bostic (1982) for the record.

HEID LOOKS TO EXTEND STREAK: Sophomore transfer Drew Heid enters the week looking to extend a team-leading nine game hit streak. The streak is the longest of the season for Heid, who has been hitting at a .387 clip during the span. For the season, the native of Goldendale, Wash. is maintaining a .302 average. Earlier in the season, Evan Wells posted the Zags' season-high streak of 10 games.

MACHTOLF COACHES NO. 250: Sunday's contest against Santa Clara University was the 250th game for head coach Mark Machtolf. Machtolf, who is in his fifth year of head coach and 18th with the program, has earned 132 career victories for a .528 winning percentage - the third highest in program history. During his 17-year tenure, Machtolf has overseen 69 All-West Coast Conference selections, four All-America selections, six Freshman All-America selections and six Academic All-America honors. He has also helped to coach 33 Zags who went on to sign professional contracts, including 22 that were drafted into Major League Baseball.

PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE: For Evan Wells, patience has paid off. The junior currently leads Gonzaga University and the West Coast Conference with 25 walks and a .487 on base percentage. As the everyday lead off batter, Wells has drawn 11 walks when he is the first GU batter to the plate in an inning, including opening a game with a walk five times.

OUCH!: The Gonzaga University baseball team has been hit-by-a-pitch 63 times this season, including a season-high six times by Brigham Young University on Feb. 29. In comparison, Bulldog pitchers have plunked 32 batters to date. Senior Bryan Winston leads GU as he has been hit-by-a-pitch 10 times. Last season in 58 games, the Zags were hit 65 times. According to official NCAA stats through games of Apr. 6, Gonzaga ranks fifth in the nation in the category. The University of South Florida currently leads the nation with 76 plunks.

WIEGAND DRIVES TOWARDS CAREER LIST: Ryan Wiegand, first baseman for the Zags, continues to be a run producer for Gonzaga University as the junior has driven in 41 runs this season. For his career, the native of San Diego has posted 130 RBI, leaving him 13 short of cracking the career top-ten. For his career, Wiegand has posted 37 multiple-RBI games, including 14 during the 2007 campaign. This season, Wiegand has posted 13 multiple-RBI games, including driving in six runs on Mar. 9 at the University of the Pacific.

FIRST BASES LOADED JACK SINCE 2006: Ryan Wiegand's grand slam in the eighth inning last Tuesday not only sparked a seven run inning for Gonzaga University, it was also the first grand slam for the Zags since the 2006 season. In addition, Tuesday's long ball was the first GU bases loaded home run at Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field. The last Bulldog to hit a grand slam was Darin Holcomb, who hit two grand slams against Chicago State University on March 22, 2006. During the game, Holcomb set a school record with 10 RBI in the contest.

WELLS ENJOYING BREAK OUT SEASON: Junior Evan Wells is posting an impressive junior campaign. The second baseman is batting .347 with 41 hits, 21 runs batted in and 30 runs scored. As a sophomore, the native of  Olympia hit .274. His efforts this season have improve his career average to .305 with 104 hits.

IMPROVEMENTS TO PATTERSON BASEBALL COMPLEX AND WASHINGTON TRUST FIELD: Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field boasts a new and improved look down the right field line this season. During the off-season, construction was completed on a new maintenance facility in the right field corner near the batting cages. The "maintenance mansion" houses the Gonzaga University athletic department's grounds keeping efforts. Last season, a temporary shed was utilized until construction could commence on the new building.

BULLDOG BASEBALL ON TELEVISION: Two remaining Gonzaga University West Coast Conference baseball games will be aired on GUTV this season. Games this Friday and Saturday against the University of Portland will all be aired live on the campus station.

HARMON MOVES UP IN RECORD BOOK: Senior pitcher Brandon Harmon has moved into sole possession of second place in the Gonzaga University record book for career appearances. Harmon, who has started eight games this season and made three relief appearances, was tied for fourth with Craig Miller (1979-82) with 67 appearances to start the season. The senior currently stands at 78 appearances. Recently, he replaced Tyrone Cunningham (1986-89), who stood at 71, for second place. Harmon is on pace to break the all-time appearance record of 81 appearances, held by Matt Siwek (1996-00).

CONTINGENCY PLAN: Due to inclement weather in Spokane, the scheduled three-game West Coast Conference series between Gonzaga University and Pepperdine University that was scheduled for the last weekend of March had to be modified. The series was shortened to a two-game set in Spokane. The third game of the series will be played, if needed, later in the season should the game be necessary to determine seeding for the WCC Championship. Most likely, the game will be made up at a neutral site in Southern California at the end of the season when the Zags take their already scheduled trip Los Angeles to face Loyola Marymount University May 16-18.

McKIMMY NAMED WCC CO-PLAYER OF THE MONTH: Marcus McKimmy, an outfielder for Gonzaga University, was named the West Coast Conference Co-Player of the Month for March. McKimmy led the Zags to a 13-7 mark in March as the senior went 33-for-79 to hit at a .418 clip. The senior led GU with 22 hits and 25 runs scored while posting six doubles, three home runs and 25 runs batted in. The native of Yakima, Wash. recorded nine multiple-hit games, including seven contests with three hits. Following a player of the week accolade on Mar. 24, he closed out the month with a eight game hit streak. McKimmy shared the monthly honor with Pepperdine University's Eric Thames, who compiled a .403 average with six home runs.

McKIMMY EARNS NATIONAL HONORS: Marcus McKimmy continues to post an impressive senior campaign as he has earned West Coast Conference Player of the Week and Month accolades this season. In addition, the native of Yakima, was named the West Region Player of the Week by www.collegebaseballinsider.com and www.collegebaseballhub.com for the week of Mar. 17. McKimmy was awarded the honors after batting .423 during the week.

PAIR OF ZAGS EARN WEEKLY WCC HONORS: Grant Kveder and Marcus McKimmy of the Gonzaga University baseball team have each been awarded West Coast Conference Player of the Week Accolades this season, while Cody Martin was named this week's WCC Co-Pitcher of the Week. Kveder earned the honor on Mar. 17 as the junior led GU to the 2008 Pepsi/Johnny Quick Classic title after batting at a .500 clip with five runs batted in, five runs scored and two stolen bases. McKimmy earned the honor on Mar. 14 as the senior led the Zags to series victories over Utah Valley University and Sacramento State University. During the week, he hit .423, going 11-for-26, with four doubles, a home run and 13 runs batted in. Last week, Martin earned two saves while allowing no runs on two hits in 3.1 frames.

KVEDER NAMED TOURNAMENT MVP: Junior Grant Kveder of the Gonzaga University baseball team was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2008 Pepsi/Johnny Quick Tournament. Kveder was named the MVP after posting an impressive .500 batting average during the six-game event. The Alberta native went 10-for-20 with five runs batted in, five runs scored and two stolen bases. Nine of Kveder's 10 hits came as singles and the junior recorded only one extra-base hit - a double. Kveder's strongest performance at the tournament was a 5-for-5 outing against New Mexico State University on Mar. 14. In the 17-10 Bulldog win, Kveder also drove in three runs while scoring three.

ZAGS PICKED TO FINISH FIFTH: The Gonzaga University baseball team has been selected to finish fifth in the 2008 West Coast Conference preseason poll, as voted on by the conference's head coaches. Reigning WCC Champion, University of San Diego, received seven first place votes and a total of 49 points to edge out the Pepperdine University, 42 points, and Santa Clara University for first place. The Broncos also received one first place vote and 32 total points. Loyola Marymount University checked in at fourth with 29 points, just edging out the Zags, who received 28 points. The University of San Francisco was tabbed for a sixth place finish with 24 points, while University of Portland and the Saint Mary's College were picked to finish seventh and eighth with 12 and eight points, respectively.

TICKETS TO PATTERSON BASEBALL COMPLEX AND WASHINGTON TRUST FIELD: The gates to Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field will open one hour prior to the scheduled game time. Tickets are available before the game at the ticket booth located at the northeast corner of the ballpark. Admission is five dollars for adults and three dollars for seniors and kids 12 and under.

BULLDOGS EXCEL IN CLASSROOM: Two members, including one current member, of the Gonzaga University baseball team were awarded All-West Coast Conference academic accolades last season. Former Bulldog Aaron McGuinness and current second baseman Evan Wells each earned the distinction. McGuinness earned a 3.48 grade point average in exercise science while Wells posted a 3.95 GPA in journalism, which also placed him on the University's president's list.

PATTTERSON BASEBALL COMPLEX AND WASHINGTON TRUST FIELD: The 2008 season marks the second year of play at Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field. The new home of Bulldog baseball is a state-of-the-art facility that also incorporates an old-time baseball feel. The new stadium includes 1,300 theater-style seats and includes classic brick detailing. Major League amenities include a state-of-the-art infield, a professional candle lighting system and authentic home and visitor dugouts with underground passages to full-service clubhouses. The first game at the new facility was March 15, 2007 against Rider University. The facility also features eight light poles, two which are 90 feet tall while the other six stand at 80 feet. Dedication ceremonies were held April 20, 2007 prior to the game against Saint Mary's College.

BULLDOGS POST HIGHEST FINISH IN WCC PLAY IN 2007: By posting victories over then-No. 17 Pepperdine University on May 11 and 12, 2007, the Gonzaga University baseball team locked up its highest finish in WCC history, securing second place. Gonzaga had never finished higher than fifth when the conference played a non-divisional format. The Bulldogs finished fifth in 1996 and finished the 2006 campaign tied for fifth. The WCC played a non-divisional format Gonzaga's first three years in the conference (1996-98) and then went to the divisional format from 1999-05 before returning to non-divisional play last season.

HEAD COACH Mark Machtolf: Mark Machtolf is in his fifth season as the head coach of the Gonzaga University baseball and 17th season as a member of the Bulldogs' coaching staff. Since being named head coach, Machtolf has posted a 132-118 record for a .528 winning percentage, placing him third all-time in Gonzaga history. During his tenure with the Zags', he has led the Zags to four-top five finishes and produced the 2004 WCC Player of the Year, Kiel Thibault, and the 2007 WCC Pitcher of the Year, Clayton Mortensen. He has overseen 33 Zags who have signed professional contracts, including 22 that were drafted into the Major Leagues. Under his guidance, Gonzaga has also landed 69 all-conference selections in addition to 15 All-WCC Academic honors. During the summer of 2006, Machtolf served as an assistant coach for Team USA. Under his guidance, the team posted a 28-2-1 record, including going a perfect at 8-0 record the Federation Internationale du Sport Universitaire (FISU) World Championships in Havanna, Cuba. A 1987 graduate of Stanford University, Machtolf was a member of the Cardinal's 1987 College World Series championship team and was an All-CWS selection.