WCC Baseball: Gruener’s Complete Game Propels Pilots Past Gonzaga

Portland sets a season-high with 18 hits in a 9-1 win over the Bulldogs.

David Gruener Photo: portlandpilots.com

PORTLAND - Portland junior lefthander David Gruener went the distance and the Pilots exploded for a season-high 18 hits in a 9-1 win over the Gonzaga Bulldogs in a West Coast Conference baseball game on Thursday afternoon at Joe Etzel Field.

Freshman C.J. Cullen, who was one of three Pilots with three hits, scored four times and knocked in a pair.

The Pilots even their record at 14-14 overall and 2-2 in the WCC. Gonzaga drops to 18-16 (2-2 WCC).

“It was a fortunate day for us where we had everything working,” Portland head coach Chris Sperry said. “We had great production from our seven, eight and nine hitters. They set the tone for us early and David Gruener pitched a wonderful game.”

It’s the second complete game this season for Gruener (1-2), a junior-transfer from Notre Dame. He scattered seven hits, struck out seven and walked two, while giving up just the one run.

17 of Portland’s 18 hits were singles. Junior outfielder Cory Wiltshire, who went 3-for-5 with three RBI’s, had UP’s lone extra base hit during the game with a double in the fifth inning. Freshman Brandon Howard also had three hits. He scored twice and knocked in a run.

The Pilots struck first with three runs in the bottom of the second. After Gonzaga starter Josh Monroe (4-2) retired the first two hitters of the inning, the Pilots rattled off five straight singles. Cullen, Howard and Wiltshire each knocked in a run during the two-out rally.

Portland added an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth before scoring three more in the bottom of the fifth to take a 7-0 lead.

With two outs and senior Jesse Rodgers on third, Cullen drilled an RBI single to center field. After a Howard single, Wiltshire plated two with a double down the left field line.

Gonzaga finally broke through with its only run in the seventh.

With one out and the bases loaded, Gruener minimized the damage by allowing just a sacrifice fly to Sean Wayt that scored Ryan Wiegand. Then with two outs and still two on, Gruener struck out Brandon Blank looking to end the threat.

The Pilots answered with another run in the seventh and one more in the eighth. Junior Danny Meier picked up the RBI in the seventh, while the run in the eighth was courtesy of a Gonzaga error.

Monroe lasted just four innings to pick up the loss. He surrendered four runs on ten hits. Reliever Bobby McEwen was touched for three runs on one inning of work. The Bulldogs used five pitchers on the day.

Gruener’s complete game is the fourth this season by Portland pitchers.

Every Portland starter had at least one hit. Senior James Allan, who replaced senior Justin Pierce at designated hitter in the fifth, was UP’s lone sub and also had a hit.

Rodgers finished 2-for-5 with two runs, while freshman catcher Rocky Gale was 2-for-3 with one run.

The Pilots and Bulldogs conclude their three-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday. First pitch is set for 11:00 AM.

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