STOCKTON, Calif. — Ken Waldichuk started strong in the Gaels' defense of their West Coast Conference Tournament crown, but the fourth-seeded Saint Mary's baseball team fell 11-3 to Gonzaga in Thursday's opening game at Banner Island Ballpark.
Waldichuk (3-4) made his first career postseason start in his first opportunity and went 5 1/3 innings with six strikeouts, three short of his career high, before coming out for Johnny York in the sixth. Two of Waldichuk's strikeouts came in the first inning as the freshman started his first scent of postseason action hot.