Baseball Falls to Irvine in Series Opener

Friday, March 21

Irvine, CA

6:30 p.m.

Grand Canyon

10-10

UC Irvine

14-7

Grand Canyon

UC Irvine

Charles Wagner

Photo by: Theon Carrier

3/21/2014 8:46:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Second game slated for 1 p.m. first pitch tomorrow

The Grand Canyon University baseball team (10-10, 2-1 WAC) struggled to get going offensively and fell 2-0 to UC Irvine (14-7, 0-0 BWC) in the series opener at Anteater Ballpark in Irvine, Calif. The two teams combined for just six hits in the game as the Antelopes were shutout for the second time this season.

Click here for Michael Potter's postgame interview with assistant coach Nathan Choate.

GCU starter Jorge Perez surrendered a run in the first and third innings, but allowed just one baserunner over the next five frames. He was tagged with the 8.0-inning complete game loss (1-5), his third complete game effort of the year. In sum, Perez allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits and three walks with five strikeouts.

"This is Friday night in college baseball, their best against our best," said head coach Andy Stankiewicz. "We have to be better if we are going to compete against the best. Simply put, we have to learn that we have to play better on Friday night."

Michael Pomeroy and Charles Wagner accounted for GCU's lone two hits in the game. Chris Lindmark also reached via a walk in the sixth inning.

The Anteaters loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the first following a single to right field and back-to-back walks, but Perez allowed only a sacrifice fly before retiring the next two batters to surrender just one run to UCI.

Perez looked to get out of another jam in the third with a foul popup, but an error extended the frame and allowed the Anteaters to scratch another run across the board and take the 2-0 lead.

"We can't afford to give up freebies like that error in the third," added Stankiewicz. "Especially to their starter (Andrew Morales), a couple of runs is tough to come back from. He is very good."

GCU was held without a hit until Pomeroy opened the sixth with a single to right field that was followed by a walk to Lindmark to put GCU baserunners on first and second with no outs on the board. Jon Kealoha's sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, but UCI erased the threat with a strikeout and fly out to center.

"In the sixth inning, that was our time," said Stankiewicz. "We didn't get many opportunities against Morales. We needed to put the ball in play in that situation. But we are learning. That is part of the process. I'm happy with the effort, we just have to execute better."

The series continues tomorrow with first pitch slated for 1 p.m. Fans can tune in to Independent Talk 1100 AM KFNX (online at www.1100kfnx.com or via the TuneIn Radio app on any smartphone) at 1 p.m. to follow all of the action live. Links for live stats are available at www.gculopes.com.

UCI 2, GCU 0