Talented Toreros provide GU with tough opener
Gonzaga University will test the best early in the year’s West Coast Conference baseball race when the University of San Diego invades Washington Trust Field this afternoon at 3 to open conference play.
The Toreros (22-10), who come in ranked No. 20 in this week’s Baseball America Top 25 poll, boast one of the deepest and most talented pitching staffs in the WCC. They will open their three-game weekend series against the Bulldogs (16-14) behind Brian Matusz, the ace of coach Rich Hill’s staff.
Matusz, a 6-foot-4 sophomore left-hander, is 5-1 on the season, with a 2.51 earned-run average. He has allowed 36 hits in 57 1/3 innings, while striking out a WCC-best 92.
“San Diego is very, very good,” said GU coach Mark Machtolf, who has named senior right-hander Josh Monroe (3-1, 3.99 ERA) as his starter in today’s game. “They have some outstanding pitching, with a couple of quality left-handers.
“Their Friday guy (Matusz) could be the first player picked in next year’s draft.”
Looking ahead to the conference race, Machtolf sees No. 10-ranked Pepperdine (20-8) and USD as the class of a well-balanced league.
Pepperdine is also well-stocked with strong-armed pitchers, the best of which is junior right-hander Barry Enright, who is 6-1 this spring and 29-4 in his two-plus seasons with the Waves.
“Both of them do it the same way – with pitching and defense,” Machtolf said of Pepperdine and USD, the teams picked by WCC coaches to finish 1-2. “And then I think everybody else is kind of lumped in the middle. That’s the nature of this league, because some of the bottom teams have gotten a lot better.
“And all of those other teams are capable of beating the top two now, so I don’t think it’s going to necessarily be a two-team race. It’s going to be a rat race.”
Despite all of the talent in the WCC, Machtolf likes his team’s chances of being a factor in the title chase.
“I feel good about this team,” he said. “I like its overall makeup. We’ve got come tough kids who play hard and play together, so I think we’re capable.”
The Zags have been slowed of late by key injuries to sophomore catcher Tyson Van Winkle and junior outfielder Michael Rhodes. Winkle broke his wrist three weeks ago and Rhodes, a first-year transfer from Glendale (Ariz.) Community College, is sidelined indefinitely with back problems.
In other WCC openers scheduled for today, Saint Mary’s (16-9-1) is at Pepperdine, San Francisco (14-13) is at Loyola Marymount (11-18-1) and Santa Clara (13-14) is at Portland (12-12).