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The Utah Utes are quickly becoming one of my least favorite sports programs in the country.  After ruining my New Year's Eve by upsetting Gonzaga in basketball, the Utes baseball team put a close to a Gonzaga season that should set the stage for many years of success.  The 2009 baseball season was filled not only with team success by making it into the NCAA Tournament and winning the conference but also plenty of individual success.  A number of Zags were given All-WCC honors and some even recieved higher accolades.  Coach Mark Machtolf will have to say goodbye to eight seniors that all played significant roles this season but the future is bright for Gonzaga which was sparked by the play of its youth.  For a look back at the season that was, continue reading after the jump.

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Who:  Gonzaga Bulldogs vs. Utah Utes

What:  Regional Elimination Game

When:  2 PM PST. Sunday, May 31st.

Where:  Goodwin Field @ Cal State-Fullerton

How:  Radio or GameTracker

After giving Cal State-Fullerton more than they bargained for, the Gonzaga Bulldogs are faced with a daunting task to keep their baseball season afloat.  The Zags are faced with a potential double-header today in Fullerton as they will take on the Utes of Utah first at 2 PM PST.  The two teams meet for the right to take on Cal State-Fullerton at 6 PM. 

Utah, now 27-30, were the only team in the field to enter the tournament carrying a losing record.  They pulled off some major upsets in the Mountain West Conference tournament to secure a bid in this year's NCAA Tournament and have have gone through with leaps and bounds thus far.  Their first game of the tournament was against Cal State-Fullerton and it was ugly from the get-go.  The Titans put up eight runs on the Utes before they could even blink and wound up taking the Utes down by a count of 18-2.  Utah then had to battle for their regional lives against Georgia Southern in the first elimination game of the regional and they appeared to be on their way home.  The Eagles of Georgia Southern carried a 9-4 lead into the eighth inning and were poised for a rematch with Gonzaga.  Utah fought back and exploded in the bottom of the eighth with a six hit, six run inning to give them the lead 10-9.  Georgia Southern would score a run in the top half of the ninth to tie it up but Utah had all the momentum.  With two outs the Utes drove in the winning run to give them a dramatic 11-10 victory and push them to the next round.

Georgia Southern becomes the first team to go home out of the Fullerton regional.  The former two seed lost two pretty heavily contested games and returns to the South without ever matching up with top-seeded Cal State-Fullerton.  Gonzaga has yet to announce who will be on the hill but next in line would typically be Ryan Carpenter who is 6-3 on the year with a 4.82 ERA.  If the Zags do earn the win, it will be interesting to see who takes the mound tonight against Fullerton.  Odds are on Matt Fields who threw in the win against Georgia Southern.  Utah should not be overlooked because of their marginal record as they are a team playing with plenty of confidence and momentum after their thrilling victory.

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Just like the Duke and Carolinas of college basketball, the USC and Florida's of college football, Cal State-Fullerton always seems to be right around the top of the college baseball world.  This year is no different as the Titans are one of the front-runners in the race of the national championship and they took one step forward tonight, defeating Gonzaga 7-4 in the second round of the Fullerton regional. 

It wasn't easy for Cal State as Gonzaga proved once again that they belong in this tournament and don't plan on going home without a fight.  Fresh off yesterday's 19-10 slugfest with Georgia Southern, Gonzaga came in to tonight's game with vigor and put up two quick runs thanks to a Tyson Van Winkle no out double.  Cal-State Fullerton was unfazed by the upstart Gonzaga first inning and tagged Bulldog starting pitcher Steven Ames for three runs in the top half of the second.  The Titans added one run in the fourth to give them a 4-2 lead at their home stadium.  However, just an inning later in the bottom of the fifth Gonzaga battled back and took advantage of some Titan errors.  After lead off hitter Tyson Van Winkle flied out, first baseman Ryan Wiegand reached first on a fielding error to set the stage for All-WCC performer Anthony Synegal.  The designated hitter ripped Fullerton pitcher Daniel Renken's pitch out of the park to deadlock the game at four. 

That would be the last time Gonzaga would cross home plate this evening and Cal State-Fullerton proved why they are at the pinnacle of college baseball.  They scored runs in the 6th, 7th, and 8th inning to bring the lead to 7-4 and that is how it would end.  Daniel Renken threw eight strong innings for the Titans and got the win only allowing three earned runs.  Gonzaga starting pitcher Steven Ames suffered the loss giving up seven runs on eleven hits.  Cody Martin pitched well in relief only giving up four hits and allowing zero runs to cross before Fullerton closer Nick Rameriz sealed the deal in the bottom of the ninth.

The Zags aren't out of it yet and will face the Utah Utes, who rallied late earlier today to down Georgia Southern 11-10.  The Eagles of GSU are the first team elimiated from the regional and it now sets up very well for Fullerton.  The winner of the Gonzaga-Utah match up would have to beat the Titans twice to advance to the Super Regionals and continue their hope for a trip to Omaha for the College World Series.  First pitch in Fullerton is at 2 P.M.

	May 29, 2009   3:00 PM PST Radio: 1510 KGA LiveStats: GameTracker
35-16 (14-7) 3 Seed		42-15 (20-8)   2 Seed

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The Gonzaga Bulldogs begin their quest for Omaha today as they travel to Fullerton, California to take on the Georgia Southern Eagles.  The Zags-Eagles match up is the first one of the day in Fullerton as the host school Cal State-Fullerton will take on Utah in the night game.  Matt Fields, who has been collecting awards since the end of the season, will be the starting pitcher for Gonzaga today.  Fields was recently named a third-team All-American by Louisville Slugger and has already been named to the All-WCC team and was the WCC Pitcher of the Year.  Fields is 8-1 on the season with a solid 2.86 ERA.  Expect Georgia Southern to call on right-handed pitcher Chris Mederos who has been lighting up the Southern Conference all season long.  Both pitchers will have their work cut out for them however as each team has been hitting the ball extremely well lately.

continue reading after the jump for more on the Zags-Eagles match up...

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