SPOKANE, Wash. – Gonzaga opened their 2025 home slate Thursday evening against BYU, marking the earliest date played at Patterson Baseball Complex since it opened in 2007. The Cougars clubbed four home runs in the first four innings to open and keep a lead, hanging on for a 10-2 win.
 
BYU (5-4) opened the scoring in the top of the second on home runs from Luke Anderson and Brock Watkins. Leadoff homers in the third and fourth extended the lead to 5-0 with Gonzaga (2-5) still searching for their first baserunner.
 
Hudson Shupe singled with one out in the bottom of the fourth, and Vincent Temesvary doubled down the left field line to put GU on the board with their first run.
 
BYU continued to score, adding three in the fifth and two in the sixth, pulling ahead 10-1. Meanwhile, Cougar starter Payton Gubler (W, 2-1) completing his winning line of seven innings, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out four.
 
Mikey Bell stung a ball into the left-center gap with one out in the seventh to bring home GU's second run, but the Zags were ultimately unable to catch the Cougars' early onslaught.
 
Gabe Brabec (L, 0-2) was tabbed with the loss, throwing four innings, allowing eight earned runs on just five hits and striking out six. Five walks made the difference for Brabec in his second ever Division-I start.
 
UP NEXT
Gonzaga and BYU will square off in the middle game of the series Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. The game will stream on ESPN+, and tickets are available at www.gozags.com/tickets.