The Grand Canyon University baseball team snapped their five-game losing streak with a 9-2 win over Hawai’i Pacific today at Hans L’ Orange Park in Waipahu, Hawai’i.
The win improved the Antelopes’ overall record to 5-11, 3-9 in the Pacific West Conference. HPU suffered their first loss of the season, falling to 10-1 overall, 7-1 in the league.
The nine runs scored and 12 hits today were the second-highest totals of the season for the ‘Lopes.
Lucas Leifeld led the Antelopes today, going 3-for-5 with two doubles and five RBI. He raised his average 69 points to .296 with his performance.
Grand Canyon jumped out to an early lead scoring three runs in the first inning.
P.J. Garcia led off the game with a single and would later score on a
Derek Mendoza single. A Leifeld RBI single and a sacrifice fly from
Charles Wagner gave GCU a 3-0 lead.
Justin Lindsey (3-1) started and picked up his team-leading third win of the season. He allowed two runs on six hits over 6.2 innings. He struck out seven, while walking one. Lindsey allowed two runs in the first, but followed by retiring 11-straight batters from the first through fifth innings. The effort continued the Antelopes’ strong pitching during the series. GCU entered the weekend with a team ERA of 6.73, but fashioned a 1.99 ERA (7 ER in 31.2 IP) in the four games with the Sea Warriors.
GCU pushed their lead to 7-2 in the fifth inning on a two-run double by Leifeld and a two-run single by Wagner. Leifeld capped his day with another two-run double in the sixth that gave the ‘Lopes the 9-2 lead.
Michael Pomeroy went 3-for-4 today and scored three runs.
Nick Chapman added a pair of hits, while Wagner finished with a season-best three RBI.
Austin Buelow and
Sam Moore combined to throw 2.1 scoreless innings in relief.
Grand Canyon will now make the short trip from Oahu over to the Big Island for a four-game PacWest series with Hawai’i Hilo at Wong Stadium in Hilo, Hawai’i. The series begins on Feb. 29, with first pitch scheduled for 9 p.m. (Arizona time). The teams will play a doubleheader on March 1 and a single game on March 2.
GCU 9 HPU 2