GCU wins seventh straight WAC series

Sunday, May 7

Phoenix, Ariz.

12:00 p.m.

Grand Canyon

24-22, 0

Seattle U

16-28-1, 0

Seattle U

Grand Canyon

5/7/2017 3:45:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

By: Josh Hauser

PHOENIX - The Grand Canyon baseball team posted nine runs on 14 hits to clinch the seventh straight series victory in conference play with a 9-6 win over Seattle U on Sunday afternoon. The 14-hit effort marked the 11th consecutive conference game that the Lopes have posted a double-digit number in the hit column.

Jack Schneider posted yet another solid start, going 6.0 innings while allowing just three hits and one run. The first two hits he allowed were the first two batters of the game for Seattle, meaning the freshman lefty only allowed one base hit in the final 21 batters he faced on the day.

"He had a really good change-up going today," pitching coach Rich Dorman said. "He was able to locate his fastball. Primarily he just used two pitches. I told him after the game, 'Imagine if we had that third pitch.' Just something to work on moving forward, but an outstanding effort."

Improving to 5-0, Schneider has the most wins without a loss in the conference.

Hits once again came from all over the GCU lineup with all nine starters recording at least one base hit. Leading the charge was Ian Evans and Greg Saenz, each posting three-hit games. Evans hit his fifth home run of the season while Saenz picked up three RBIs. Garrison Schwartz also posted a multi-hit day.

"I just feel like I want to be myself and do what I've been doing," Evans said. "Attack early in the count, get a fastball and try to elevate and just be aggressive. We love hitting with runners in scoring position, and we're all starting to pick it up at the right time."

For the second straight game, Grand Canyon put runs on the board in the opening inning. Austin Bull and Tom Lerouge singled to open up the frame. Bull scored the first run on a throwing error by Seattle U. With two away, Saenz drove in the second run of the inning with a base hit back up the middle.

GCU scored its third run of the contest in the third inning. After a five-RBI night on Saturday, Preston Pavlica added another to his ledger with a run-scoring double past the reach of the left fielder.

After Seattle U scored its first run of the ballgame on a solo home run by Sean Sutton, the Lopes responded with a four-run fifth inning. Saenz came up with an RBI groundout, Griffin Barnes drove in a run on an RBI single and Marc Mumper came up with a two-out, two-run double down the left field line. Grand Canyon managed to grow its lead from two runs to six runs with the big offensive inning.

Grand Canyon was not finished yet. In the sixth, Evans hammered a ball to right field for his fifth homer of the season, granting GCU an 8-1 lead. The Lopes added one final run in the eighth on Saenz's third RBI of the day.

The Redhawks made things very interesting in the top of the ninth, scoring five runs to pull within three runs. But Mick Vorhof hung on for the 27th out of the game as GCU emerged victorious.

The Lopes put a wrap on the home schedule with a two-game mid-week set against San José State of the Mountain West Conference. It will be the final two games played at Brazell Stadium in its current form before the facility undergoes massive renovation in the offseason. Wednesday's mid-week finale will also be senior night, honoring Grand Canyon's lone senior, AJ Franks. Start times are set for 7 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.