GCU wins series with six-run fifth inning

Sunday, April 9

Sacramento, Calif.

12:00 p.m.

Grand Canyon

14-17, 8-1

Sacramento State

15-16, 3-6

Grand Canyon

Sacramento State

4/9/2017 3:27:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: Josh Hauser

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Grand Canyon baseball team claimed its third straight series victory to open conference play, defeating Sacramento State 8-2 at John Smith Field on Sunday afternoon. The Lopes improved to 8-1 in WAC play.

GCU did much of its damage in a six-run fifth inning. Trailing 2-1 entering the frame, the Lopes exited the inning with a commanding 7-2 lead.

"A good road series win today against one of the best teams in the WAC," head coach Andy Stankiewicz said. "We put some good at bats together in the fifth to get the six runs, all with two outs which is not easy to do. I was proud of our effort and our focus today."

After giving up two runs to Sacramento State in the first, the Lopes' pitching staff threw up eight consecutive zeroes on the scoreboard. Jack Schneider picked up his third straight victory, all coming in WAC games, with 5.2 innings of work and a career-high six strikeouts. Out of the bullpen, Josh Andrews, AJ Franks and Mick Vorhof combined to throw 3.1 one-hit innings.

"We didn't get off to a great start, but Jack Schneider did a nice job of battling through it to find his rhythm and keep us in it, which was great to see," Stankiewicz said. "The relief corps of Andrews, Franks, Vorhof was very solid again."

To tie the game in the fifth inning, Austin Bull hit a ball down the left field line and scored Kona Quiggle from second base. The fly ball was initially ruled a double for Bull but would later be changed to an error. That play was just the start of a rough defensive inning for the Hornets, who committed three two-out errors.

The inning continued with an RBI double for Greg Saenz and an RBI single for Tyler Wyatt. With a 4-2 lead in hand, two more runs scored on fielding gaffes by the home team including a wild pitch and a wild throw on a dropped third strike. Garrison Schwartz capped off the inning by singling through the hole at shortstop and finishing off a six-run inning.

It was the Hornets that jumped out to an early lead, scoring a pair of runs before an out had been recorded. Schneider, however, settled down and retired three straight batters to end the inning and prevent a crooked number.

GCU struck for the first time in the fourth. Saenz led off with a double to left field and came across to score on an RBI groundout from Wyatt.

The Lopes tacked on an insurance run late in the game with Schwartz connecting for his fourth homer of the season, a solo shot that gave GCU its eighth run and achieved the 8-2 final tally.

Offense came from up and down the GCU lineup, but namely the middle of the order. The 4-5-6 trio of Wyatt, Cuba Bess and Schwartz combined to go 5-for-13 with four RBIs and a home run. Multi-hit efforts came from the bats of Saenz, Wyatt, Schwartz and Marc Mumper.

The Lopes' six-run victory was the closest game in a lop-sided slate of WAC games on Sunday.

With two more wins on the weekend, the Lopes continue to pace the conference in wins with eight. New Mexico State has six after two perfect series.

Next up, it's back to Phoenix for one mid-week game. The Lopes will host No. 8 Arizona on campus for the first time in over a decade, a rematch of a tight 3-2 loss in Tucson on March 29. First pitch at Brazell Stadium is set for 7 p.m. MST, a game that is set to be televised on CW6, GCU.tv, ESPN3.com and the WatchESPN family of apps with a 6:30 p.m. pregame show.