Reigning Big 12 Conference Champ Kansas State Beats GCU in Texas

Friday, February 28

Abilene, TX

12 p.m.

Grand Canyon

4-5

Kansas State

2-7

Kansas State

Grand Canyon

Humberto Aranda connected for his first home run in the second inning vs. Kansas State

Photo by: Darryl Webb

Reigning Big 12 Conference Champ Kansas State Beats GCU in Texas

2/28/2014 3:04:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

'Lopes will face the Wildcats, host Abilene Christian tomorrow

The Grand Canyon University baseball team (4-5) opened the Bourland-Ardoin Classic today with a 9-4 loss to Kansas State University (2-7) at Crutcher Scott Field in Abilene, Tex. The four-team, three-day tournament is being hosted by Abilene Christian University, who the Antelopes were slated to play in a three-game series this weekend before poor weather in the Midwest altered the schedule and forced the Wildcats and Bears to head to Texas.

Kansas State won the 2013 Big 12 Conference crown and advanced to the Super Regional round of the NCAA Tournament before being eliminated by Oregon State.

The 'Lopes had their share of opportunities to push across more runs in the game, as they had at least one baserunner reach in every inning, but the Wildcats' pitching staff, who set a program record last season with a 3.92 ERA (since the aluminum bat era in1977), were able to keep GCU from knotting the score.

"They (Kansas State) are a good team and they kind of exposed our uncertainty today," said head coach Andy Stankiewicz. "Kansas State took advantage of that. They ran the bases aggressively. Overall, they are a good club and they know what they are doing. I think our guys are realizing that you have to play nine innings. We can't play one or two good innings. So we learned some lessons."

GCU starter Jorge Perez was charged with the loss after allowing six runs on nine hits and two walks with six strikeouts over 5.2 innings of work to drop his record to 1-2. The Wildcats collected 14 hits in the game, while GCU had seven.

"Jorge competed today," added Stankiewicz. "He didn't have his best stuff, but we didn't really help him out in the first inning. We made some defensive miscues behind him, but he settled in after that. He didn't have his best stuff, but he competed like he's always done and kept us in the game."

Offensively, the 'Lopes were led by Chad De La Guerra, who had another big day at the plate after going 3-for-4. Paul Panaccione recorded two hits in the game, while Humberto Aranda picked up two RBI via his first career home run for GCU.

"Chad has a nice approach," Stankiewicz explained. "He knows he is a line drive hitter and doesn't try to do more than that. Chad gets himself in good counts and he doesn't chase. Humberto is riding a nice streak and swinging the bat well. He will get more opportunities this weekend."

The Wildcats put their first two batters on base to open the game via a walk and single up the middle, and both came around to score with one out on the board. A double to center plated another run for Kansas State before Perez induced back-to-back fly outs to end the first inning.

The 'Lopes pulled back within one run, 3-2, following Aranda's two-run homer to left field with two outs in the second. Aranda's long ball also plated Garrett Jeffries, who reached on a one-out walk.

Kansas State added a run in the third and fourth innings to make it 5-2 before GCU put runners on first and second with no outs in the fifth. Josh Ethier singled to open the frame and moved to second on an error by the first baseman in fielding David Walker's sacrifice bunt. De La Guerra then singled into right field and coupled with an error by the Wildcats' right fielder, Ethier was able to score GCU's third run of the game.

Michael Pomeroy plated Walker with a groundout to second base, which put the tying run (De La Guerra) on third with just one out on the board, but the Wildcats were able to retire the next two GCU batters to hold the one-run advantage, 5-4.

The Wildcats looked to pull the momentum back their way after scoring another run in the sixth with a baserunner on third, but reliever Zebastian Valenzuela got out of the jam with an infield groundout. However, in the top of the seventh, Kansas State once again reclaimed a three-run lead after a leadoff single came around to score.

Kansas State tacked on two more runs in the eighth, and that would end the scoring for either side.

"They (Kansas State) played good baseball," added Stankiewicz. "Getting four runs late was big for them. We didn't have enough offensively to counter. When it was 5-4 going into the sixth and we had a chance to tie, we let it get away."

GCU returns to the field for two games tomorrow, beginning with a 10 a.m. (Arizona time) matchup again versus Kansas State. The 'Lopes will then take on host Abilene Christian at 2 p.m. (Arizona time). Fans can follow the action live by visiting www.gculopes.com.

KSU 9, GCU 4