Schwartz's three doubles lead GCU to lopsided win

Friday, April 14

Chicago, Ill.

1:00 p.m.

Grand Canyon

15-19, 9-2

Chicago State

8-23, 4-4

Grand Canyon

Chicago State

4/14/2017 3:34:00 PM | Baseball

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By: Josh Hauser

CHICAGO - The Grand Canyon baseball team had no problem evening up its three-game series with Chicago State, blowing by the Cougars 12-2 in seven innings on Friday afternoon. GCU tied its season high with 12 runs while tallying 15 hits.

"Offensively, we had a nice approach at the plate," head coach Andy Stankiewicz said. "We put together much better swings in more favorable counts. Garrison Schwartz and Tom Lerouge got some big hits to get us rolling."

Every batter in the Lopes' lineup recorded at least one hit with five batters coming up with multiple hits. GCU's offensive charge was led by Schwartz who doubled three times in his first three at bats. The junior was just the third player in the conference to have a three-double game this season. It was GCU's first three-double individual performance since Greg Saenz also had three in a win over Texas-Pan American on April 4, 2015.

Jake Repavich tossed a complete game for the Lopes, picking up his fourth victory on the mound this season. Over 7.0 innings of work, Repavich limited Chicago State to two runs on four hits, striking out five.

"After a tough one last night, Jake Repavich stepped up big for us today," Stankiewicz said. "He stayed strong and was aggressive the entire game."

Grand Canyon took early control of the contest with a five-run spot in the third inning. Lerouge's first triple of the season pushed across GCU's first run of the game. Quin Cotton drove in a run on sac fly before Schwartz doubled to drive in two more.

Chicago State used three hits in the fourth inning to get two runs back and narrow the deficit to 5-2.

From that point on, however, the Lopes continued to pound out hits and score runs. In the fifth, GCU plated four more runs on RBI doubles from Cotton and Schwartz, an RBI single from Austin Bull and a sacrifice fly from Lerouge.

With three more runs in the seventh, GCU ran its lead to 10 runs. Lerouge and Evans connected for RBI singles before a sac fly from Tyler Wyatt scored GCU's final run of the mercy rule-shortened contest.

In addition to Schwartz, Bull, Lerouge, Wyatt and Malis all had multi-hit days. Schwartz and Lerouge each had three RBIs.

It took GCU just 2:04 to secure the win, making it the shortest game of the season for the Lopes.

"Tomorrow is a big game," Stankiewicz said. "We're looking for another well-played ballgame."

GCU's lopsided Game 2 victory sets up a series rubber match at Cougar Stadium tomorrow morning. LHP Jack Schneider (3-0, 3.48) takes the mound for the Lopes with first pitch set for 10 a.m. MST.