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North Central product Alek Jacob hurls gem in Gonzaga win

SPOKANE, Wash. — Starter Alek Jacob was dealing on the mound and Branson Trube hit an eighth-inning home run to propel Gonzaga baseball to a 3-0 win on Saturday night in Spokane, Wash.

The went scoreless into the bottom of the eighth inning when Trube got ahold of one to left as a part of a three-run inning. That was all the Zags (15-14, 6-5) needed as the bullpen kept Portland (10-18, 4-7) off the board.

Jacob, the reigning Rawlings/WCC Pitcher of the Week, had another spectacular outing, going 7.2 innings of shutout ball, allowing just three hits and striking out eight while walking two. He left with two runners aboard and two outs in the eighth, but Calvin LeBrun entered and got the strikeout to end the threat. After getting the first batter of the ninth, he gave way to closer Casey Legumina, who came on to get the final two outs and earn his eighth save. LeBrun earned the victory for the second straight night.

The shutout was Gonzaga’s fourth combined shutout of the season, and the second time Jacob and Legumina have both been involved. Legumina has been the closing end of all four this season.

Jacob was cruising into the seventh when a thunderstorm rolled into the area with a quick downpour and lightning, causing the game to go into a delay for 39 minutes. When play resumed, both starting pitchers returned to the game.

Trube’s blast in the eighth was a towering shot over the left field wall with Gunnar Schubert aboard and none out. The homer was his fifth of the year, which ties him for the team lead with Jake Vieth. Trube went 2-for-4 on the night, and Ernie Yake reached twice on a single and walk, scoring once.

The Zags added one more in the eighth with one out and runners on first and second. Nyquist hit a shallow infield fly behind first base that was dropped allowing the runners to advance. As Yake broke for third, the attempted throw got away and Yake trotted home.

Gonzaga and Portland will wrap up the series on Sunday at Noon at Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field. Live scoring and video will be available on the baseball schedule page at GoZags.com.

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