Lopes can't capitalize on sloppy pitching

Saturday, April 9

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 P.M.

Grand Canyon

15-15, 0

New Mexico State

19-12, 0

New Mexico State

Grand Canyon

4/9/2016 9:47:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Josh Hauser

PHOENIX - Despite drawing nine walks and a hit by pitch, the Lopes left the tying run in scoring position for the second straight game in a 4-3 loss to New Mexico State on Saturday night. GCU finished the game 3-for-18 with runners on base.

"The quality of at bats with runners in scoring position just isn't there," head coach Andy Stankiewicz said. "We need to learn to not change our approach in those situations. The guys are getting caught in the emotion of the tightness of the game. We just have to 'try easier', so to speak."

The Lopes left 11 runners on base in the game including a pair of runners in the final inning. In a sequence that nearly mirrored Friday night's final inning, Grand Canyon placed runners on base with two outs. In a rematch of Friday night's two-out battle between New Mexico State's Joe Galindo and GCU's Tyler Wyatt, Wyatt smashed a ball to deep left field. Feet on the warning track, Greg Popylisen made the catch for the final out of the game.

"It's frustrating because we're better than we've played," Stankiewicz said. "New Mexico State is a good club. The frustrating part is we're a better ball club than we've shown. We have to come back with a little energy and a little excitement to play baseball."

After Jake Repavich tossed 2.1 innings to begin the game for GCU, the Lopes bullpen allowed two runs over the final 6.2 innings.

"The bullpen did a nice job," Stankiewicz said. "They kept us in it and that's all you can ask. We were one big hit away from getting it done."

Both starting pitchers were under tremendous pressure from the get-go. The Aggies had a pair of runners in scoring position in the first, but Krysthian Leal made two diving stops at third to hold New Mexico State scoreless. Grand Canyon drew two walks to open the bottom of the first, but Aggies' starter Kyle Bradish struck out back-to-back batters to keep GCU scoreless. The clubs combined to leave 13 runners on base in the first three innings.

The Aggies struck first with single-run efforts in the second and third innings. New Mexico State pounded out seven hits in the first three innings, but GCU did a great job of damage control to limit the Aggies to two runs.

Grand Canyon tied the score with two runs in the third inning. Bradish walked the bases loaded, and a two-out, two-RBI single by Skylar Wengert, who was making his first career start, sent Paul Panaccione and Garrison Schwartz home.

New Mexico State quickly responded to tie the score with a run in the fifth. In relief of Repavich, Brick Paskiewicz recorded two quick outs. A hit batter, double and a wild pitch proved costly, however, as the go-ahead run came in to score.

The Lopes countered with a run of their own in the fifth, on a run manufactured by Panaccione. The senior drew a four-pitch walk, stole second, moved to third on a grounder, and scored on a fielder's choice to tie the game at three.

To open the seventh inning, Austin Botello homered to right field off of Jaren Drummond, grant New Mexico State a lead that it wouldn't relinquish.

GCU will look to salvage one game in the series vs. the Aggies when the team meet in the series finale on Sunday. RHP Tyler Wyatt (0-3, 7.66 ERA) starts for Grand Canyon and will be opposed by RHP Marcel Renteria (2-2, 4.03 ERA). First pitch is set for 12 p.m.