Lopes power way to series-opening win at CSUB

Friday, April 1

Bakersfield, Calif.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

13-12, 2-2

CSU Bakersfield

5-20, 0-4

Grand Canyon

CSU Bakersfield

4/1/2016 7:28:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Josh Hauser

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - Behind the strength of three home runs and a complete game from Cameron Brendel, the Grand Canyon baseball team opened its three-game series at CSU Bakersfield with a 9-3 victory at Hardt Field on Friday evening. The Lopes quickly surpassed March's home run total of one with three homers on the first day of April.

Grand Canyon (13-12, 2-2 WAC) claimed its first road conference win of the year as CSU Bakersfield (5-20, 0-4 WAC) dropped its 10th straight game.

The Lopes' mark of three home runs on the evening tied a season-high set in the second game of the year in a loss to Gonzaga. In the second inning, Thomas Lerouge, on the first pitch he saw, belted his first career homer to right field to put GCU in front 4-0. Garrison Schwartz followed Lerouge's act with a solo home run in the third inning, Schwartz's third long ball of the season. With two outs in the seventh, freshman Preston Pavlica logged his first career home run to give the Lopes their ninth and final run.

While Grand Canyon's offense flashed the power, Brendel kept the 'Runners in check throughout the evening, recording the first complete game of his GCU career. The right-hander's outing was highlighted by a streak of nine consecutive batters retired amid the fourth through seventh innings. Brendel threw the first complete game for a Grand Canyon pitcher since May 9, 2015 when Andrew Naderer also tossed one against CSU Bakersfield.

Lerouge opened up the ballgame by drawing a leadoff walk. The sophomore moved around the bases on a wild pitch, sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly by Paul Panaccione to put the Lopes on the board in the first. Zach Malis began the second frame in similar fashion, drawing a leadoff walk and scoring on a single by Krysthian Leal. Lerouge's home run put the Lopes in front 4-0.

The Roadrunners cut the Lopes' advantage in half with a two-run tally in the second. CSUB began the inning with a pair of hits before two errors aided the 'Runners in putting two runs on the board.

After Schwartz's home run in the third, GCU had its biggest offensive inning of the game in the fifth, scoring three runs on a pair of hits. Austin Bull started the inning with a single up the middle while Panaccione was hit by a pitch. Pavlica drove in a run on a double, Malis drove in a run on a ground out and Pavlica scored on a wild pitch. The Lopes claimed a comfortable 8-3 lead which put the game out of reach.

Bull, Schwartz and Pavlica each had two hits, with Pavlica also scoring two runs and driving in two runs.

The Roadrunners' leadoff hitter, Dustin Frailey, led all players with three hits on the night to lead CSUB to 10 base hits.

The three-game series continues in Bakersfield as the Lopes and 'Runners meet again on Saturday night at 6 p.m. Lefty Jake Repavich (2-1, 2.09 ERA) is scheduled to make the start for Grand Canyon, while RHP Andrew Hansen (1-4, 5.77 ERA) will get the nod for the home team.