Lopes fall in Game 2 setting up rubber match

Saturday, May 13

Orem, Utah

5:00 p.m.

Grand Canyon

27-24, 19-4

Utah Valley

16-31, 9-11

Grand Canyon

Utah Valley

5/13/2017 7:35:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Josh Hauser

OREM, Utah - The Grand Canyon baseball team fell by a 9-2 count in the second game of a three-game set at Utah Valley. The Wolverines plated seven runs between the first two frames and did not look back.

GCU's bullpen was solid despite being tasked with working six full innings. In relief of starting pitcher Jake Repavich, Degan Harte tossed 4.0 innings, allowing three hits and two earned runs. He pitched the fifth and sixth innings scoreless for the Lopes. Jeramy Smith worked the final two frames, spinning a 1-2-3 seventh and a scoreless eighth.

For the second straight night, Utah Valley got off to a hot start with the bats. Through the first two frames alone, the Wolverines plated seven runs on nine hits, including a five-run second inning. With single tallies in the third and fourth innings, the Wolverines took their largest lead of the game at 9-0.

Grand Canyon showed signs of life in the sixth, picking up its first two runs of the contest. With some heads-up baserunning by Preston Pavlica, he turned an apparent single into a double. Zach Malis drove home the run with his second triple of the season, bouncing off the outfield wall in right-center. Greg Saenz made it a two-run inning when he flew out to center field on a sacrifice fly. The Lopes left the inning trailing 9-2, a score that would hold.

Malis posted a multi-hit effort for GCU, doubling and tripling to go along with an RBI. Saenz also had two hits in the contest.

Utah Valley's Jake Mayer threw his third complete game of the season, allowing two runs on seven hits while walking one.

The two teams will reconvene at Brent Brown Ballpark on Sunday afternoon for the rubber match finale. First pitch is set for 11:00 a.m. MST with lefty Jack Schneider (5-0, 3.86) set to face Utah Valley right-hander Paxton Schultz (1-4, 4.68).