> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Gonzaga Baseball Falls Just Short in Series to Creighton, Drops to 4-9 - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/gonzaga-bulldogs-baseball-falls-just-short-creighton-blue-jays/ - Published: 2026-03-09T03:43:09.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T05:53:33.000Z - Author: Corbin Smith - Tags: Game Day, Analysis, Gonzaga Baseball, Zach Bowman, Noah Meffert, Ryder Young, Landon Hood, Mikey Bell, Luca DiPaolo OMAHA, Neb. – In an extremely close series, Gonzaga baseball (4-9) found itself on the wrong end in two out of three one-run contests in Omaha. Taking on Creighton (5-7), rain pushed the Bulldogs into playing three games in a little over 24 hours. And although the Zags staged one comeback during the set, they couldn’t complete another in the rubber match, resulting in their fourth consecutive series loss to open the season. A new face joined GU’s rotation and turned in the team’s best outing from a starter over the weekend, while a certain freshman phenom continued to make headlines. But on the other end, Gonzaga’s offense continued to struggle to string hits together more than once during a game, ultimately not being able to flip enough slim deficits around to steal the series. What transpired in yet another losing weekend for the Zags? **Game 1: Creighton wins 2-1** Despite getting a complete game from its starting pitcher, Gonzaga still dropped the opening game of the series. It was a brilliant effort from left-hander Zach Bowman, who was making his first start of the year after previously posting two appearances in long relief, most recently on Feb. 20\. The southpaw struck out seven in 4.2 scoreless frames during the Bulldogs’ season- opening extra-inning loss to Hawai’i, and Bowman made a great case on Saturday to earn more starts going forward. He was incredibly efficient against Creighton, finishing eight innings on only 92 pitches, while he allowed just four hits and struck out six without walking a man. The two damaging swings he surrendered were to the same player, shortstop Ben North, who was almost solely responsible for both Bluejays runs. Leading off the second, North laced a stand-up triple that landed just out of the reach of Bo Shinkle in center before caroming off the wall, then scored on the next batter’s sacrifice fly. With one down in the fourth, North crushed a fastball over the plate into the first row of bleachers in left-center field to double Creighton’s lead, which would be all the run support necessary. Those were the only two hits Bowman surrendered prior to his final inning of work, as he worked around two seeing-eye singles in the eighth. But he was still the losing pitcher of record, as the Zags’ offense was stifled on the other end. Creighton starter Jack Pineau was great in his own right, spinning six shutout innings as he scattered four hits and three walks. Although they outhit the Bluejays 6-4, the Bulldogs didn’t collect more than one hit in an inning. GU’s sole score was courtesy of a two-out tank job from Ryder Young in the eighth, but it didn’t spark a comeback as they went down quietly for the final four outs. **Game 2: Gonzaga wins 5-4** In an eventful cap to the doubleheader, the Bulldogs rebounded from an early deficit to steal a win, but not before nearly relinquishing their lead late. North was the culprit again, as he led off the second once again with a homer, blasting a hanging breaking ball from Erik Hoffberg over the Bluejays’ bullpen in left field. Hoffberg ran into more trouble the following frame, walking the first batter before a bloop single landed down the left-field line. After striking out the next two hitters, including North, it seemed Hoffberg was primed to escape the jam. But Creighton executed a double steal, and then Connor Capece dropped a soft liner into shallow left-center that plated both runners and chased Hoffberg. Entering for the Zags in relief was freshman right-hander Landon Hood, who has been nothing short of dominant this season. But GU head coach Mark Machtolf was bringing in his promising arm in a different situation, with the Bulldogs down multiple runs and needing to hold the line for his offense. Hood delivered and then some, tossing five shutout frames, punching out eight as he worked around two hits and three walks, improving his record to 2-0 on the year. His scoreless streak to begin his collegiate career now sits at 16.1 innings. Responding immediately against Bluejays righty Ian Hoosman, the Bulldogs tied the game in the fourth, led by the meat of their lineup. Back-to-back base knocks from Noah Meffert and Mikey Bell began the inning, then Young lifted a double over the head of the left fielder that brought Meffert around. Hudson Shupe then put a solid swing on a line drive to center, good for a sac fly. Next, Ricky Sánchez grounded one past a drawn-in infield and through the left side to knot the score at three. The two sides remained square until the final third of the contest, when Gonzaga loaded the bags with one out in the seventh. On a 2-1 pitch, Shinkle chopped a 2-1 fastball up the middle that looked to be a potential inning-ending double play. But after stepping on second, North fired a low throw to first that his first baseman couldn’t pick, and two runs came home before he recovered it in foul territory. After getting the final out in the bottom of the eighth, lefty Joe Thornton came back out in the ninth inning to close the game. Putting himself in the ultimate jam, Thornton plunked the leadoff man with a slider, allowed an infield single, and then another base hit found the hole between short and third. The southpaw managed to strike out Capece on a great changeup, but walked the following hitter, bringing the tying run just 90 feet away. Something had to give, and Thornton got Chris Baillargeon to roll a dribbler to second for a clutch, tailor-made 4-6-3 that sealed the GU victory. **Game 3: Creighton wins 7-6** Following his standout start last Sunday against No. 13 Oklahoma, Karsten Sweum couldn’t stack another brilliant outing in a rubber game versus Creighton. After Sánchez doubled and scored on a sac fly in the top of the second to give the Bulldogs an early lead, the Bluejays jumped on Sweum in the bottom half. Sandwiching a single between a hit-by-pitch and a four-pitch walk with one out, Sweum continued to be erratic, hitting another man to bring a run in. Then leadoff hitter Rocco Gump scorched a grounder that ate up first baseman Tommy Eisenstat down the line, which went down as a two-run two-bagger. Sweum then overcooked a two-strike fastball that sailed to the backstop and brought in a fourth run, before a sac fly plated the fifth run of the frame. A leadoff walk to North in the third set the scene for more self-inflicted wounds. Although Sweum punched out the next Bluejay, an errant throw down to second from catcher Luca DiPaolo on a stolen base attempt scooted North up to third. He completed his trip around the bases on another sac fly, putting the Zags down five runs through three innings. GU put its rally caps back on in the fifth, storming back into the game. A couple of singles started the inning, which both came in to score later on knocks from Meffert and Young. Then, with two down, DiPaolo got redemption from his earlier error. After seeing three curveballs go by from reliever Anthony Unga, he deposited a fourth one onto the concourse in left field for a game-tying three-run blast. But Creighton punched right back in its next at-bat, squeaking a two-out single through the right side with runners on the corners to score the go-ahead, and eventual game-winning, run. Garrett Gores was the man on the mound at the time, who was otherwise solid in his 3.1 innings of work, but still took his second loss of the year. Even while getting a man to reach in three of the final four innings – and twice moving the baserunner into scoring position -- Gonzaga couldn’t bring it in to tie the game. The Zags still have two more non-conference series before they face their first WCC opponent, but they definitely want to play more complementary baseball before then, and hopefully earn their first series win of the season in the process.