Gonzaga Baseball Season Ends with West Coast Conference Tournament Exit
Despite a dominant regular season where they outscored opponents 406-294, the No. 1 seed Gonzaga Bulldogs were eliminated from the West Coast Conference Tournament following losses to the fifth-seeded Gaels and third-seeded Dons.
The No. 1-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs have concluded their season after being eliminated from the West Coast Conference Tournament at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, Arizona. The team suffered two consecutive defeats, first falling 13-4 to the No. 5-seeded Saint Mary’s Gaels on May 21, and subsequently losing 6-5 to the No. 3-seeded San Francisco Dons on May 22.
Gonzaga entered the tournament as the clear favourite, having finished the regular season with a 35-19 record and a 22-5 mark in conference play. They were the highest-scoring offence in the West Coast Conference, outscoring opponents 406-294. However, the team failed to translate that regular-season dominance into tournament success, failing to secure a win in the double-elimination format.
In the opening loss to Saint Mary’s, senior right-handed pitcher Justin Feld struggled on the mound. Feld, who held an 8-2 record with a 4.77 ERA, allowed seven earned runs on six hits over 3.1 innings. The defeat drew scrutiny regarding managerial decisions, specifically the choice not to start sophomore left-handed pitcher Karsten Sweum. Sweum, the roster’s ace and the 2026 West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year with an 8-2 record and 4.69 ERA, did not take the mound for the first game.
The Bulldogs faced San Francisco the following day, a team they had swept over the weekend of May 8 with an aggregate score of 32-5. Prior to the tournament, Sweum had thrown a no-hitter against the Dons on May 9. In this matchup, however, Sweum was pulled after just 1.1 innings, having allowed six earned runs on six hits, including five runs in the first inning alone.
Replacement pitcher Landon Hood, the 2026 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year, provided a stronger performance, pitching 6.2 innings with zero earned runs, three hits allowed, and eight strikeouts. Despite Hood’s efficiency, Gonzaga’s offence could not generate sufficient run support. The team now awaits the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Monday, May 25, at 9 a.m. PT on ESPN2 to determine if they will secure a spot in the 64-team field. Currently ranked No. 55 in the RPI, the Bulldogs’ postseason hopes rest entirely on the committee’s decision.
