'Lopes Drop Saint Martin's in Series Opener

Friday, February 15

Phoenix, AZ

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

2-2

Saint Martin's

0-8

Saint Martin's

Grand Canyon

Jorge Perez

2/15/2013 10:18:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Score season-high 10 runs

The Grand Canyon University baseball team defeated visiting Saint Martin’s, 10-2, tonight at Brazell Stadium. With the win, the Antelopes improved to 2-2 on the season, while the Saints fell to 0-8. The win was the second in a row for GCU as they also recorded a season-high for runs.

Starter Jorge Perez (1-1) tossed 7.0 scoreless innings, allowing just 4 hits and a walk with 6 strikeouts. That strikeout total is the most for a starting pitcher so far this season. Saints starter Zach Carter (0-3) suffered the loss after allowing 6 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks with 4 strikeouts over 6.0 innings.

“Jorge was kind of grinding it out tonight,” said head coach Andy Stankiewicz. “They hit some balls hard. We expect a lot out of Jorge, and quite honestly, he has got to be better than that. I know it looks good on paper, but he is a better pitcher than allowing his pitches to run over the plate. And when he did, they hit them pretty hard. To his credit, he grinded it out and I though he got better and better throughout the game. But we have to be sharper early.”

Garrett Jeffries had a strong night at the plate, going 3-for-4 with 2 runs scored. Paul Panaccione collected a game-high 4 RBI. Six of GCU’s starters collected at least one hit.

“You want to have a lineup with guys that have an approach,” added Stankiewicz. “The inning when we scored four runs was great. We had a couple of hits and walks with two outs. We have to learn that we have to take what they give us because sometimes we try to get too big offensively and we swing at bad pitches. So it was good to see that guys are starting to try to put the ball back up the middle.”

After both teams pitched scoreless first innings, Perez put down the three batters he faced in the top of the second. With two outs in the bottom of the second, the ‘Lopes found their offensive rhythm as they had back-to-back singles and back-to-back walks to make it a 1-0 game. Panaccione, looking for his first hit of the season, tripled to clear the bases and hand GCU a 4-0 advantage.

Both teams put up zeros over the next three innings before the ‘Lopes tacked on two more runs when Derek Mendoza walked with one out, moved to third on Steven Swingle's double, and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Brandon Smith. Swingle came around to score on that same play after the second baseman’s error into the dugout moved him home.

GCU scored again in the seventh inning after Chris Lindmark drew a two-out walk, advanced to second on Michael Pomeroy’s single and advanced to third on an error by the centerfielder. Lindmark touched home via a Mendoza single.

The first four GCU batters in the eighth inning reached base, two by virtue of a hit by pitch, and the ‘Lopes went on to add three more runs.

The Saints quickly erased the possibility of a shutout as they drew a leadoff walk in the ninth inning and scored when the next batter tripled. The runner on third scored via a groundout before the final out was recorded.

The two teams will square off for the second game of the series tomorrow night at 7 p.m. at Brazell Stadium. Fans can follow the action via live stats by visiting www.gculopes.com.

GCU 10, SMU 2