SPOKANE, Wash. (Interstat) — The Gonzaga Bulldogs host the Seattle Redhawks on Thursday afternoon at Washington Trust Field and Patterson Baseball Complex in a nonconference matchup between teams moving in opposite directions.

First pitch is scheduled for [time not specified but afternoon game] with a forecast of 62 degrees and rain.

Gonzaga (32-17) enters as the clear favorite, holding a 16-game edge over Seattle (16-28) in the win column. The Bulldogs are coming off a 12-5 victory at San Francisco on Sunday, while the Redhawks endured a 4-2 home loss to Santa Clara the same day before rebounding with a 12-11 win at Washington State on Tuesday.

The Interstat game simulator projects a 7-4 Gonzaga victory.

Seattle will rely on third baseman Royce Hale, who is red-hot despite the team’s struggles. Hale went 3 for 5 with a home run and seven RBIs in Tuesday’s win over Washington State. Over his last 11 games, the infielder has recorded a hit in all but three outings, with four multi-hit performances and two home runs. However, he also has four games with no hits in that span, including an 0-for-4 showing in the Redhawks’ 11-1 loss at Saint Mary’s on May 1.

For Gonzaga, reliever Landon Hood has been dominant out of the bullpen. The right-hander tossed 5 1/3 scoreless innings against San Francisco on Sunday, allowing zero hits while striking out six. In his last five appearances, Hood has yielded no runs in 13 1/3 innings, striking out 23 batters and allowing just two earned runs all season. His ability to shut down rallies gives the Bulldogs a significant late-game advantage.

Seattle has lost nine of its last 11 games and owns a 1-5 record in its past six road contests. The Redhawks’ offense is capable of outbursts, as Tuesday’s 12-run effort showed, but consistency has been elusive. Their pitching staff surrendered 11 runs in the win over Washington State, a recurring issue for a team that has allowed 10 or more runs in three of its last seven games.

Gonzaga, meanwhile, has won 11 of its last 14 games. The Bulldogs’ pitching staff has been stellar, posting three shutouts in their last seven outings. The bullpen, anchored by Hood, Finbar O’Brien and Mickey McClaskey, has combined for 112-plus strikeouts this season.

The two teams will meet again Friday and Saturday at the same venue to close the three-game series.