Gonzaga ace shuts out Arkansas
Posted: March 1, 2013 at 6:46 p.m.
Gonzaga left-hander Marco Gonzales delivers a pitch during the Bulldogs' 3-0 win over Arkansas on Friday in Surprise, Ariz.
SURPRISE, Ariz. — Marco Gonzales lived up to his billing Friday.
The Gonzaga junior left-hander, rated one of the top pitching prospects in college baseball, threw a complete game shutout and the Bulldogs beat Arkansas 3-0 at the Coca-Cola Classic. The Razorbacks, which lost a one-run decision to Arizona State on Thursday, fell to 0-2 at the event.
Gonzaga (5-4) gave Gonzales all the run support he needed with a three-run sixth, chasing Arkansas starter Barrett Astin in the process. The Bulldogs took the lead on back-to-back RBI singles from Cory Lebrun and Travis Forbes off Astin, and Billy Moon added an RBI on a fielder's choice later in the inning to cap the scoring.
The Razorbacks recorded eight hits off Gonzales but struck out nine times, failing to capitalize for the second consecutive day. Arkansas' best scoring chance came in the second inning when Brian Anderson tripled with one out, but he was thrown out at the plate on a Jacob Morris safety squeeze bunt.
Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn argued the call as about 200 Razorbacks fans in attendance cheered him on, but to no avail.
Tyler Spoon led off the ninth inning with a single to extend his hit streak to 10 games, but he was stranded at second after Gonzales struck out Dominic Ficociello and got Anderson and Morris to fly out to end the game. Arkansas (7-3) stranded six runners Friday after stranding 10 Thursday.
Astin pitched well prior to the sixth inning. The junior right-hander pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits. Brandon Moore pitched 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief and Trent Daniel came out of the bullpen to strand two runners in the top of the ninth.
The Razorbacks will face Arizona State on Saturday at 5 p.m.
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