GCU falls to Sacramento State in pitchers duel

Friday, May 13

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 P.M.

Grand Canyon

22-25-1, 0

Sacramento State

27-22, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Sacramento State	0	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	1	4	8	0
Grand Canyon	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	8	1

5/13/2016 9:01:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Samantha Fell

PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Grand Canyon baseball team fell 4-1 to conference foe Sacramento State on Friday night at Brazell Stadium. In the first of a three-game series, the Lopes matched the Hornets as each team tallied eight hits, but GCU was unable to advance six runners around the bases. With the loss, GCU falls to 22-25-1 and 10-12 in the league play. Sacramento State improves to 27-22 overall and 14-8 in the WAC.

Cameron Brendel threw his second complete game of the season for the Lopes. After retiring three straight batters in the first inning, Brendel gave up a two-run homer to Sacramento State in the second. Brendel settled down nicely after the second inning allowing eight hits in nine innings of work throwing four strikeouts. It was the sixth time this season that he's gone seven innings or longer. brendel falls to 4-4 on the season.

"Cameron was good. He threw strikes and got them to chase some pitches out of the zone," assistant coach Gregg Wallis said.

The Lopes got on the board in the bottom of the eighth inning. After a single by Thomas Lerouge and a walk by Austin Bull to put runners on first and second base, Garrison Schwartz hit a liner to left field to score Lerouge. GCU left two runners on base but cut the lead to 3-1.

In a pitchers dual where it was a struggle to get hits, Schwartz went 3-4 to lead the Lopes at the plate. It is the second time he has had a three-hit game this season.

Sacramento State picked up one run in both the sixth and ninth innings to add insurance to their lead. The Hornets committed zero errors during the game and played solid defense to back up a strong pitching effort.

The Lopes will continue play with Sacramento State on Saturday, May 14 at 7 p.m. The third and final game of the series will begin at 12 p.m. on Sunday, May 15.