The Grand Canyon University baseball team swept their doubleheader today at Hawai’i Hilo, posting identical 1-0 scores in both contests at Wong Stadium. With the pair of wins, the Antelopes improved to 15-5 overall and 10-1 in Pacific West Conference play. The Vulcans fell to 5-20-1 overall and 5-14-1 in the conference.
GCU has now won a season-high six straight games.
The ‘Lopes won the first game behind a strong pitching effort from starter
Andrew Naderer and relievers
Cody Repenning and
Mark Jarrett. Naderer allowed just 4 hits and 3 walks with 6 strikeouts over 5.1 innings, and Repenning and Jarrett held the Vulcans scoreless over the next 1.2 innings as Jarrett secured his fourth save of the season.
GCU collected 9 hits in the first game, led by
Garrett Jeffries, who went 3-for-3 at the plate and drove in the lone run of the game.
Derek Mendoza tripled with one out in the fourth inning and Jeffries followed with an RBI single to plate the go-ahead and game-winning run. The Vulcans made it interesting after loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning, but a double play ended the threat.
The second game played to an identical 1-0 score once again in GCU’s favor. Starter
Coley Bruns improved to 4-0 on the season after tossing 5.1 scoreless frames, allowing just 3 hits and 2 walks with 7 strikeouts. As they did in the first game, relievers
Brandon Bonilla and Jarrett came in and shutdown Hilo's offense, combining for 1.2 hitless and scoreless innings as Jarrett converted his fifth save.
The two teams combined for just 5 hits in the game as
Seth Fretheim collected both for the 'Lopes.
The ‘Lopes scored the lone run of the game in third inning, as
Ryan Tomita, Raidy, and Fretheim reached base via a walk and two hit by pitches to load the bases with one out. After Tomita was ruled to be out at home on a fielder’s choice off the bat of
Michael Pomeroy, Mendoza reached first on error as Raidy crossed home plate.
The squads will wrap up the four-game set tomorrow with a single game slated to begin at 6 p.m. (Arizona time).
GCU 1, UHH 0 (Game 1)
GCU 1, UHH 0 (Game 2)