April 17, 2008

Spokane, Wash. - Three different promotions highlight a trio of Gonzaga University baseball games this weekend as the Zags' host the University of Portland at Patterson Baseball Complex and Washington Trust Field. Military Day will be celebrated Friday night, with Youth Day on Saturday. Both games will also feature the Reuse-A-Shoe program.

In honor of Military Day on Friday, all members of the military, as well as families, will be admitted to the game at no charge. Former and current members of the armed forces are asked to show military identification at the ticket office to receive complimentary admission for themselves and their families. The ticket office is located on the northeast corner of the ballpark, right outside the main gates.

For Youth Day on Saturday, all kids under the age of 12 will be admitted for $1 and the first 500 kids in attendance will receive a free bag of sunflower seeds. Youth will have an opportunity to win prizes during the game, as well as have the opportunity to meet the Zags and get autographs following the game.

Both games will feature the Reuse-A-Shoe program. In conjunction with Sodexho and Nike, Gonzaga is encouraging its fans to bring any pair of old tennis shoes to the ballpark. There will be a bin for fans to drop their shoes in to donate to the program. The shoes will then be recycled into materials used in sports surfaces like basketball courts, tennis courts, athletic fields, running tracks and playgrounds across the world for under funded sport programs. Since the birth of the Reuse-A-Shoe program, over 20 million pairs of athletic shoes have created more than 250 sport surfaces globally.

Gonzaga (20-16, 2-6 WCC) will open the series with Portland (17-20, 2-7 WCC) Friday at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday games are slated for 1 p.m.