BAKERSFIELD, Calif.-- Bakersfield hosted Gonzaga at Hardt Fieldon Wednesday night. The Bulldogs came from behind for a 4-3 win over the 'Runners.

Head Coach Bill Kernan gave the nod to freshman pitcher Alec Daily (Temecula, Calif., Great Oak HS) for his first collegiate start. The California native pitched five consecutive scoreless innings before getting into trouble in the sixth and seventh.

Before the trouble came, Bakersfield gave Daily a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out and 'Runners on second and third, Nick Vehlewald  (So., Bakersfield, Calif., Garces HS) nearly hit into an inning-ending double play. With hustle and a dive into first, Vehlewald avoided the third out of the inning and allowed Oscar Sanay (Sr., Santa Paula, Calif., Ventura College) to score. An RBI-single from Chance Gusbeth (So., Lancaster, Calif., Desert Christian HS) would give the 'Runners their second run of the inning.

Daily took a two-hitter into the sixth inning, but the Bulldogs got to the young pitcher with two runs off of one hit and two walks. Payden Lamb's single with runners on the corners scored the second run, but Gusbeth ended the possibility of more damage by gunning down the runner trying to advance to third. He fired a laser from right field to third base that left no question to the easy tag out.

Gonzaga tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh thanks to four hits. The final hit of the inning was a bases-loaded double by Mitch Gunsolus which plated two Bulldogs. The hit chased Daily from the game as Garrett Nimmo (Fr., Temecula, Calif., Temecula Valley HS) came into relieve. Nimmo closed the door by striking out the next batter and inducing a line out to end the threat.

Trailing 4-2, the 'Runners got a run back in the bottom half of the seventh, cutting the deficit in half. Gusbeth continued his strong day with a lead-off triple that set up an RBI-single for Ross Hough (Jr., Bakersfield. Calif., Central Arizona College) after a walk. With runners on the corners and no outs, the 'Runners hit into a double play as the runner was gunned down at home for the second out. A harmless line out would end the inning with Gonzaga leading 4-3.

Bakersfield mustered only a single in the eighth inning and no base runners in the ninth as the Bulldogs' Kenny Smith pitched the last two innings to preserve the win and get the save. Gusbeth led the 'Runners with two hits, an RBI, and his outfield assist while Bakersfield also got two hits from Oscar Sanay and Soloman Williams (Jr., Long Beach, Calif., Golden West College). Daily finished the night with a line of 6.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, and 1 K.

The Roadrunners will return to Hardt Field this weekend to open WAC play with a three-game series against Grand Canyon. The games on Friday and Saturday start at 6 p.m. while first pitch on Sunday is scheduled for 1 p.m.

~www.GoRunners.com~