FROM CBD NEWS SOURCE
SPOKANE, Wash. – Head Coach Mark Machtolf announced the 2014 Gonzaga University baseball schedule Wednesday. The Bulldogs are set to play 53-games under the 11th year skipper, highlighted by 19 contests at the Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field.
The defending West Coast Conference champions will play its first 24 games on the road before the home opener, Mar. 28, against league foe Loyola Marymount University.
Opening day for the Zags is set for Feb. 14 against College World Series participant Oregon State University at the Husker Baseball Classic in Tempe, Ariz.
Gonzaga will also face University of the Pacific and University of Nebraska opening weekend. A week later the Bulldogs travel to San Antonio for the Irish Baseball Classic starting on Feb. 20. Including University of Notre Dame, the Zags will challenge University of the Incarnate Word and Santa Clara University.
A return trip to Arizona Feb. 27 looks to be the Bulldogs biggest challenge of the non-conference as the club is set to play three teams that advanced to the NCAA postseason. The Zags will square off against Regional qualifiers Oklahoma State University and Arizona State University before facing Super Regional participant University of Oklahoma. Manhattan College completes the field.
Starting spring break, the Bulldogs will have an extended stay through California where they will play UC Irvine (Mar. 8-10), UC Riverside (Mar. 11) and Cal State Bakersfield (Mar. 12). Two days later, the Zags open WCC play with a three game series at University of San Francisco (Mar. 14-16) followed by a trip to league newcomer Pacific (Mar. 21-23).
The 24-game road gauntlet to open the season ends at University of Washington (Mar. 25) for one game.
April features a heavy home slate as GU hosts 12 of 15 games. After the home opening series against LMU, Gonzaga welcomes NCAA Regional qualifier University of Oregon (Apr. 1, 2), Santa Clara (Apr. 11-13), Washington State University (Apr. 15) and University of Portland (Apr. 17-19).
Gonzaga and Washington State will square off three times in 2014, with two of games taking place in Spokane. The other two dates the Zags and Cougars battle are Apr. 22 (in Pullman) and May 13 (in Spokane).
The Zags other league road series take them to the defending WCC Tournament Champions University of San Diego (Apr. 4-6), Saint Mary’s College (Apr. 22-27) and BYU (May 1-3).
The Bulldogs wrap up the regular season with a seven game homestand versus UC Davis (May 9-11), WSU and Pepperdine University (May 16-18).
In total, Gonzaga will face six teams preseason ranked by Collegiate Baseball. They include No. 4 Oregon State, No. 6 Oregon, No. 18 Oklahoma State, No. 22 Arizona State, No. 32 Oklahoma and No. 33 San Diego.
Postseason action could begin May 22 if GU finishes in the top four of the WCC standings. Once again, a four-team playoff format at a neutral site will host the 2014 WCC Baseball Championships. Like last year, games will take place in Stockton, Calif.
