Evans' go-ahead blast clinches series

Friday, March 30

Greeley, Colo.

12 p.m.

Grand Canyon

12-13, 5-0

Northern Colorado

16-12, 1-4

Grand Canyon

Northern Colorado

3/30/2018 3:41:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

GCU wins 11th consecutive conference series

By: Josh Hauser

GREELEY, Colo. - Ian Evans broke a 5-5 tie in the seventh inning with a three-run home run to straightaway center field as Grand Canyon defeated Northern Colorado 9-6 on Friday afternoon. The Lopes improved to 5-0 in Western Athletic Conference play and have now won 11 consecutive conference series dating back to 2016.

To begin the seventh inning, Austin Bull began the frame by nearly leaving the yard himself. The junior doubled off the top of the wall in left field. A Pikai Winchester walk put a pair of runners on base for Evans who slugged his second homer of the season. A 5-5 tie turned into an 8-5 lead for the Lopes.

In back of Jake Repavich, the GCU bullpen limited Northern Colorado to five hits and one run over 5.1 innings. Josh Andrews, Jeramy Smith, Nick Ohanian and Mick Vorhof combined to strike out eight batters. Smith earned his second victory of the season.

The top four batters in GCU's lineup all had two-hit days. Evans had four RBIs to lead all players.

For the second straight game, the Lopes were the first to get on the board. Evans began the second inning with a single, moved to second on an error, third on a sacrifice bunt, and scored on an RBI groundout from Zach Malis.

The Bears recovered by scoring two runs in the second to take a lead.

GCU tied the score with a single tally in the third and took the lead with a single tally in the fourth. Winchester hit a game-tying RBI single to score Griffin Barnes in the third, while Barnes doubled in Malis in the fourth.

Northern Colorado responded again with a three-run inning, highlighted by a two-run home run off the bat of Matt Burkart.

The Lopes quickly re-tied the score in the fifth. Quin Cotton and Winchester led off the inning with base hits before scoring on a sacrifice fly and RBI groundout, respectively.

Evans' blast gave GCU the largest lead of the game at three runs.

Both teams scored a single run in the ninth, but they wouldn't have an effect on the outcome.

Grand Canyon and Northern Colorado will play the series finale on Saturday afternoon, with Ethan Evanko scheduled to start for the Lopes. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. MST.