Baseball Drops Two to Northwest Nazarene

Friday, February 18

GCU

12:00 p.m.

Grand Canyon

3-5

Northwest Nazarene

5-0

Northwest Nazarene

Grand Canyon

P.J. Garcia

2/18/2011 7:14:19 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Mike McNally

The Grand Canyon University baseball team fell to 3-6 this season after being swept by Northwest Nazarene, 5-3 in 10 innings and 8-7, today at Brazell Stadium in Phoenix, Ariz.

Both games were regularly scheduled to be seven inning contests.

GCU jumped out to a 3-0 lead in game one, with all of their damage being done in the third inning.

Joey Bristyan led off the inning with a single and moved over to third on R.J. Etchebarren’s double to left. PJ Garcia followed with a two-RBI double to right to get the ‘Lopes on the board. After an Ernesto Ortiz single, Tyler Bair made the score 3-0, driving in Garcia with a sacrifice fly.

After the outburst, the Antelope bats were quiet, getting only two hits and six total base runners over the final seven innings.

Starter Brady Wager was touched for three runs in the fifth, tying the game up 3-3. Wager tossed 4.1 innings, allowing three runs on three hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

GCU had chances to win the game in the ninth and tenth innings, placing runners in scoring position both times.

NNU’s Zach Hibbard drove home the game-winning run for the Crusaders in the 10^th, finishing the game 4-for-5 with three RBI.

Cody Repenning (0-1) was the tough luck loser in the game, pitching 4.2 scoreless innings, before yielding the two runs in the 10^th inning.

Game two was a heartbreaker for the Antelopes, losing the game despite carrying a 5-0 lead after two innings, 7-2 lead after three and a three run lead heading into the seventh and final inning.

The Crusaders battled all day and tied the game with Cameron Louie’s two-out, two-RBI game-tying single in the seventh off reliever Coltin White. Parker Logan capped the four-run rally with a single to give NNU the 8-7 lead and eventual victory. William Armijo took the loss, pitching 0.1 innings to start the seventh.

Grand Canyon opened the second game with a bang, very reminiscent to their offense output in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The first three batters reached and were all driven home on a bases clearing three-run double by Bair.

After seeing their lead cut to 5-2, GCU scored two unearned runs in the third inning on an error and bases loaded walk by Garcia.

The Antelopes managed to get the tying run to second with two out in the seventh, but Jackie Samora flew out to end the threat and game.

GCU returns to Brazell Field tomorrow for another doubleheader with Northwest Nazarene. The first game will begin at 1:00 p.m.

Tomorrow’s doubleheader will be special as the Grand Canyon University baseball program will devote the day to Breast Cancer Awareness. The day will feature Breast Cancer Survivor family members and or friends throw out the first pitch of the first game. In between games, GCU will have all Breast Cancer Survivors, friends and families of survivors, friends and families of men or women who have passed away from Breast Cancer, alumni, and players release PINK balloons into the sky.

The Grand Canyon baseball staff and team will be wearing PINK jerseys tomorrow during the games. All proceeds from the gate and donations will go directly to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

For those interested in participating in the first pitch or balloon launch, please reach out to a member of the GCU baseball family tomorrow for details.

NNU 5 GCU 3 (10)
NNU 8 GCU 7