Matt Mardesich - 2010 Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks

Pilots Regain Late-Inning Magic, Topple Bulldogs

Matt Mardesich

Junior 3B Matt Mardesich's 3-Run Home Run in the ninth inning sealed the Pilots' victory

5/29/2010 7:13:16 PM

SPOKANE, Wash. --- Junior 3B Matt Mardesich launched a three-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to propel the Pilots to a 6-2 West Coast Conference victory of the Gonzaga Bulldogs Saturday afternoon at Washington Trust Field. This marks the 17^th road win this season for the Pilots and 33^rd overall win. Both totals are good for second most in school history, behind only the 1980 squad who finished with 36 wins including 20 on the road.

Portland (33-18,13-7) capitalized on Gonzaga’s (20-35, 8-12) mistakes as four of the Pilots’ six runs were unearned, including three in the ninth inning. With the score tied at two in top of the ninth, senior Rocky Gale got the Pilots’ rally going with a single back up the middle. Senior Austin Pearce attempted to sacrifice Gale into scoring position, but the throw to try to get Gale at second sailed into center, allowing both to reach safely.

Head Coach Chris Sperry called on sophomore Kris Kauppila to lay down a sacrifice. A beautifully placed bunt rushed the throw to first, allowing Gale to score and Pearce to advance to third as the ball rolled down the right field line. Mardesich then stepped up to the plate and drove a 1-0 pitch over the left field wall to give the Pilots a 6-2 lead.

Portland’s first inning run came on an RBI ground out from senior C.J. Cullen after senior Craig Smith led off with a single and advanced to second on a passed ball. Kaupilla later added an RBI single for the Pilots, while Gale’s 2-3 effort improved his team-high batting average to .352.

Sophomore Owen Jones struggled with his command early, walking the first two batters he faced and then hit the number three batter to load the bases. Despite issuing three first inning walks, Jones danced out of danger by allowing just one run to score on a sacrifice fly.

Jones settled down to pitch 6.0 strong innings, allowing just two hits, while striking out seven. One of the two hits, however, was a game-tying home run from Cameron Edman in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sophomore Keeler Brynteson pitched 1.1 scoreless innings of relief. Junior Chris Dennis (5-1) pitched the final 1.2 innings, striking out two and walking one.

Ryan Carpenter pitched 6.2 solid innings for the Bulldogs, striking out nine, while allowing four hits, three walks, and two runs, just one of them earned. Mark Phillips (2-5) suffered the loss, allowing four runs (one earned) on four hits in 2.1 innings of relief.

The Bulldogs committed three errors on the afternoon as the Pilots committed none.

Sunday’s game marks the end of the regular season for both teams with a first pitch scheduled for 1:00pm at Washington Trust Field. Sophomore Kyle Kraus (9-2, 3.29 ERA) looks to tie Ted Devore’s school record of 10 wins in a season. His opposing pitcher has not yet been announced.

CENTRAL CATHOLIC HS: Four-year letterwinner for coach Tom Campbell … a three-time All-Mt. Hood Conference First Team selection (2005-07), was selected third-team all-state as a junior in 2006 and garnered all-state honorable mention as a senior … led the Rams in batting average, home runs, RBI’s and steals during his senior campaign and helped the team reach the quarterfinals during the state playoffs … the Rams won conference titles in 2005 and 2006, advancing to the second round of the state tournament both years … led the conference as a junior with 38 RBI’s last and led the Rams in most offensive categories as a junior and sophomore … in 2006, set career highs with a .483 batting average, 38 RBI’s and four home runs … during a game against Reynolds HS in 2006, knocked in eight runs with a grand slam, a two-run homer, a double and a single … participated in the 2005 Junior Olympics, the 2005 and 2006 Pacific NW Championships and the 2006 Arizona Fall Classic.