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# Gonzaga Baseball Crushes 10 Homers During Sweep of Indiana State
- URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/gonzaga-bulldogs-baseball-crushes-10-homers-during-sweep-indiana-state/
- Published: 2026-03-15T22:14:54.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T05:53:30.000Z
- Author: Corbin Smith
- Tags: Game Day, Analysis, Gonzaga Baseball, Ricky Sánchez, Tommy Eisenstat, Erik Hoffberg, Noah Meffert, Ryder Young, Hudson Shupe

\[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1447"\]

![  Gonzaga Bulldogs shortstop Ricky Sánchez swings the bat against the Indiana State Sycamores at Bob Warn Field. Credit: Gonzaga Athletics  ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/screenshot-2026-03-15-at-4-30-02-e2-80-afpm-format-original.png)

Gonzaga Bulldogs shortstop Ricky Sánchez swings the bat against the Indiana State Sycamores at Bob Warn Field. Credit: Gonzaga Athletics \[/caption\]

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – It took a month’s worth of games, but Gonzaga baseball (8-11) finally has its first series win of the year, and it came in the form of a sweep. After dropping two games in Minneapolis to the Golden Gophers during the week, the Bulldogs responded by taking all three games against Indiana State (7-12) on the road.

Heading into the weekend, the Zags had outhit their opponents in six straight games but only had two wins to show for it during that stretch. They continued to rack up hits in the set versus the Sycamores, but GU also tapped into its power stroke in order to bust out the brooms, mashing 10 homers in the series after hitting just seven over its first 16 games. In the series finale, Gonzaga tied for its most runs scored in a single game in program history, with one of the Bulldogs teeing off for three round-trippers.

How did the Bulldogs earn their first happy flight of the year?

**Game 1: Gonzaga wins 7-4**

Scoring in the opening inning for the first time this season, the Zags got on the board early thanks to their leadoff man, centerfielder Bo Shinkle. After singling, Shinkle stole second base and moved up to third base on a wild throw from the catcher. Later in the frame, another error – this time off the bat of Ryder Young on a flyball to right – scored Shinkle. Then, with two outs and a runner on in the second, Shinkle laced a base hit the other way to plate another run.

Getting some pop from its middle infield, second baseman Hudson Shupe and shortstop Ricky Sánchez went back-to-back in the fourth, both launching homers over the right-field fence. Following a Jacob Wrubleski single and a double from Shinkle, Noah Meffert crushed a big fly of his own for a three-run blast, hanging a five-spot on Sycamores starter Jack Armstrong in the inning for GU.

That would be more than enough run support for Erik Hoffberg, who turned in one of his best starts of the year. Throwing a career-high 116 pitches, Hoffberg tossed seven innings of two-run ball, punched out seven while surrendering six hits and a couple of free passes. The junior right-hander pushed his record to 2-2 on the year.

Gonzaga’s offense was held in check after that big fourth, as the Indiana State bullpen posted five shutout frames, headlined by Ryan Karst’s four innings of work, where he allowed just two baserunners.

Garrett Gores finished things out for the Bulldogs and initially worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth. He nearly came out unscathed in his outing before allowing a two-run shot to Emil Estrella with two down in the ninth, but the Trees’ rally would be too little, too late.

**Game 2: Gonzaga wins 7-4**

Earning his first collegiate start, freshman Landon Hood got the nod after not allowing a run in his previous 16.1 innings. But the scoreless streak was snapped immediately, as ISU jumped on Hood in the opening frame. Punishing the hard-throwing right-hander for walking and hitting a batter, Weston Fulk stroked a two-out, two-run single to left to open the scoring,

Initially stifled by Indiana State starting pitcher Ty Brooks, the Zags’ bats didn’t scratch a run across until the fifth. Once they loaded the bases with nobody out in that inning, an RBI single by Young sandwiched around two sacrifice flies gave GU a sudden lead.

But Hood walked the leadoff hitter in the bottom half, and after advancing on a flyout, the tying run was scored as Hood fired two wild pitches. He was pulled after 4.1 innings, and although he struck out six and allowed only two hits, the young flamethrower walked four and hit two Sycamores.

Replacing him was Finbar O’Brien, who made his second appearance out of the bullpen after beginning the season as a starter. O’Brien held the line, pitching the final 4.2 frames, limiting ISU to just a run as he fanned four men to pick up his first win of the year.

The Bulldogs retook the lead in the seventh inning, as once Young doubled Mikey Bell to third base, both came around to score courtesy of two more sac flies. And needing some insurance in the ninth, Tommy Eisenstat connected on a two-run homer over the wall in center.

**Game 3: Gonzaga wins 23-16 (10 innings)**

In a contest that featured 12 homers, both sides were privy to the wind gusts that pushed the ball out to left field on Sunday. In total, seven different players went deep, and four of them had multi-homer games. But none had a bigger day than Sánchez, who collected five hits, launched three home runs and drove in nine, powering the Zags to a victory.

Things started with the second batter of the game, as Meffert ripped a fastball from Indiana State starter Grant Parson pull-side over the fence. But the Trees recovered quickly against GU southpaw Karsten Sweum, who allowed a two-run single up the middle in the bottom of the first. Then Ray Jesse popped a shallow flyball into center, but the wind plus some miscommunication between Shinkle and Shupe caused the ball to find outfield grass, scoring two more Sycamores.

In three of the next four innings, the Bulldogs followed Meffert’s lead, hitting home runs on heaters. Leading off the second and third, it was Eisenstat and Sánchez, respectively, who provided solo shots to inch Gonzaga closer. Young also doubled later in the third frame, which brought two walks around, giving GU the lead. ISU will be kicking itself about the fifth inning, as it offered four consecutive free passes with two outs to plate a run. Then, Sánchez unloaded on another four-seamer, keeping it fair down the left-field line for a grand slam, making it 10-4 Zags.

Still not out of it though, Indiana State posted three straight extra-base hits to open the bottom of the fifth against Sweum, including a couple of dongs from Carter Beck and Caden Miller, which effectively chased the lefty starter who had been in a slight groove prior to those swings. Sweum was tagged for seven earned runs in 4+ innings, as although he struck out six due to his good changeup, he also walked four and allowed seven hits.

Wrubleski led off the seventh with an oppo-taco shot, once again taking advantage of a center-cut fastball. But the avalanche ensued in the bottom half. After ISU loaded the bases against Joe Thornton, pinch-hitter Nick Sutherlin introduced himself to new reliever Jared Glenn by destroying a cement-mixing slider over the fence in left for a game-tying grand slam. Glenn then walked the next batter, setting the table for Beck to go the other way for his second homer of the day. Giving his team a 13-11 advantage, the Sycamores’ center fielder knew immediately once he put the bat on the ball, tossing his bat towards the dugout upon contact.

Meffert powered a home run dead-center in the following frame as the Bulldogs attempted to mount a late comeback. But like much of the affair, there was a punch thrown back. In the Trees’ next at-bat, Sutherlin connected for another deep drive, this one good for a three-run blast against Mickey McClaskey to make it 16-12.

Down to their final three outs, the Zags sparked another rally. Eisenstat and Shupe both singled, then moved up a base on a balk. With one out, a ground ball to short off the bat of Landon White could have been a game-ending double play or at least a forceout if not for the balk. But the defender also short-hopped the throw to first, and everyone was safe, bringing Sánchez back to the plate. And the 5-7 nine-hole hitter came up clutch once more, crushing a home run out to left to knot the score at 16.

Breaking it open in extras, Gonzaga ironically didn’t use a long ball to score seven runs in the tenth. The highlights were Sánchez singling with the bases juiced for his ninth RBI, and Mikey Bell doubling two runners home for the final blow.

Justin Feld was nails in the last 2.1 innings, fanning three and limiting the Sycamores to just two baserunners while he was on the mound.

Sánchez now boasts an OPS of .993 after his big weekend, and is tied with Meffert for the team lead in homers (four). And although not qualified with 26 at-bats, Wrubleski has certainly come on strong as a catching option, hitting .385 with a 1.121 OPS in his limited playing time. It’s certainly better late than never for the Bulldogs’ bats to get going, as they’ll play their first conference series next week in San Diego. The Toreros were picked to finish first in the WCC preseason, while GU was picked second.