Red Storm Take Two From 'Lopes

Friday, May 3

Phoenix, AZ

4 p.m.

Grand Canyon

34-14, 26-9

Dixie State

30-15, 22-13

Dixie St.

Grand Canyon

Andrew Naderer

Photo by: Darryl Webb

5/3/2013 11:35:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

California Baptist loss secures share of PacWest crown

The 26^th-ranked Grand Canyon University baseball team dropped their doubleheader against Dixie State today at Brazell Stadium by scores of 5-4 and 4-1. Both contests played into extra innings as the teams played a total of 20 innings today. With the pair of losses, the Antelopes are now 34-15 overall and 26-10 in Pacific West Conference play. The Red Storm improved to 31-15 overall and 23-13 in the conference.

The game marked the final conference matchup for both squads.

California Baptist fell, 7-6, tonight at Point Loma, guaranteeing the ‘Lopes a share of the PacWest crown before their first game was complete. The Lancers have two conference games remaining, and a loss in either would hand GCU the outright title.

“Anytime you lose it’s tough,” said head coach Andy Stankiewicz. “Andrew (Naderer) and Jorge (Perez) pitched well. Andrew especially did a great job. And we had our chances. What is frustrating is that it is too late in the year for us to not play more fundamental baseball. We couldn’t get a bunt down or execute a pitch out. This is kind of a gut check too - we will find out tomorrow who wants to be here and who wants to do this at a high level. I don’t think we are asking too much, and I think that everybody here understands where we want to go with the program. We expect a lot out of our guys, but we have to let it go and come back tomorrow.”

The ‘Lopes dropped the first contest, 5-4, in 10 innings despite holding the lead up until the eighth inning. It was just the second extra-inning game for GCU this season, the last coming on March 20 at Hawai’i Pacific.

Starter Jorge Perez did not factor into the decision after allowing 4 runs on 10 hits and 4 walks with 4 strikeouts in 7.2 innings. Garrett Jeffries was tagged with his first loss.

Derek Mendoza extended his hitting streak to seven games with a single in the eighth inning. Brian Kraft added a hit and 2 RBI, while Paul Panaccione collected 2 hits in the game.

Kyle Raidy made a great headfirst dive for the third out of the third inning with Red Storm runners on first and second base, preserving the scoreless tie. That quickly changed when Kraft connected for his team-leading fourth homer of the season in the bottom of the third, placing a 3-1 pitch over the left field fence to hand GCU the 2-0 lead.

Dixie State responded by hitting three consecutive singles to open the fourth inning, and walking in the first run for the Red Storm to cut GCU’s lead in half. Dixie State plated another run to knot the score before Raidy made another outstanding play, this time gunning down the go-ahead run with a perfect throw to Swingle.

Jeffries plated the go-ahead run in the fourth inning with a single up the middle to score Michael Pomeroy, who advanced to third on a throwing error by the third baseman after drawing a walk to open the frame. GCU made it a 4-2 game the next inning when an error by the second baseman allowed Chris Lindmark to score from third base.

Perez worked out of jams in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings before a 1-2-3 seventh frame. The Red Storm were able to scratch across a run in the eighth on an RBI single to right field, forcing Perez from the contest. Mark Jarrett entered the game and surrendered a run to his first batter as Dixie State once again tied the score, this time at four.

The Red Storm scored the go-ahead run in the 10^th inning on an RBI single up the middle with two outs and retired GCU in order in the bottom half of the frame to secure the extra-inning win.

The second game, scheduled for 7.0 innings, also played out to the 10^th inning with the Red Storm once again prevailing, this time by a score of 4-1.

It was a pitcher’s duel from the onset, as both teams combined for just 5 hits in the first four innings. Andrew Naderer allowed just 1 run on 5 hits and a walk with a season-high 10 strikeouts over 7.0 innings before giving way to reliever Trent Wilson, who was charged with the loss. Naderer, Wilson, and Cody Repenning combined for a season-high 14 strikeouts for GCU.

Harlyn Griffiths collected two hits for the 'Lopes in the second contest, while Jeffries accounted for a key pinch-hit RBI in the seventh inning.

Naderer picked up his 10^th strikeout of the contest in the sixth inning, the most in a single game for a GCU pitcher this season. The Red Storm broke the scoreless tie with a run in the top of the seventh inning on a two-out RBI single to left center.

Mendoza led off the bottom half of the frame with a single up the middle off Dixie State reliever Josh Mooney, the conference leader in saves with nine, extending his hitting streak to eight games. Pinch-runner Ryan Tomita came around to score after moving to second on a sac bunt from Panaccione and single up the middle by pinch-hitter Jeffries.

Both squads were held scoreless over the next two innings before Dixie State plated two runs on a triple down the left field line, again with two outs. The Red Storm added one more run before the frame was over and fended off a GCU rally in bottom half of the 10^th.

The two teams will wrap up regular season play with a non-conference game slated for 1 p.m. tomorrow. Prior to first pitch, the ‘Lopes will honor their seniors. Fans can follow the action via live audio and stats by visiting www.gculopes.com.

DX 5, GCU 4 (10)
DX 4, GCU 1 (10)