GCU defeated for first time in WAC

Saturday, March 31

Greeley, Colo.

11 a.m.

Grand Canyon

12-14, 5-1

Northern Colorado

17-12, 2-4

Grand Canyon

Northern Colorado

Photo by: David Cohen

3/31/2018 2:19:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Lopes' four late runs not enough

By: Josh Hauser

GREELEY, Colo - Grand Canyon suffered defeat for the first time in Western Athletic Conference play, falling to the host Northern Colorado Bears 7-4 on Saturday afternoon. The Lopes allowed three home runs on a blustery day at Jackson Field.

Pikai Winchester hit his first home run in a Lopes uniform to lead a late rally. Winchester's three-run shot to left-center field put GCU on the board for the first time in the eighth inning. Dane Stankiewicz and Austin Bull each drew four-pitch walks to open up the inning and score on Winchester's homer.

Marc Mumper pulled the Lopes closer with an RBI single through the right side, bringing the tally to 7-4. But the three-run margin was as close as GCU would get.

Northern Colorado took a big lead early when Tyler Yamaguchi hit the first of three Bears' homers on the day. Yamaguchi blasted one to left field in the first, a three-run shot that gave Northern Colorado an early 4-0 lead.

The Lopes picked up base hits here and there throughout the ballgame, but couldn't string anything together to chip away at the deficit. GCU got two-out singles in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings.

Northern Colorado extended its 4-0 lead in the seventh by homering two more times. All seven of Northern Colorado's runs on the day came with two outs.

After allowing the four spot in the first, Lopes starter Ethan Evanko settled down to pitch three scoreless innings. Mike Lundin and Dalton Chapman each threw scoreless innings of relief.

Headed home with their 11th consecutive WAC series win, the Lopes will open up a six-game homestand at Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark. GCU will host UNLV for a two-game, mid-week series before hosting Utah Valley over the weekend and Arizona next Tuesday.