GCU left searching for timely hit

Saturday, April 21

Champaign, Ill.

1 p.m.

Grand Canyon

21-17

Illinois

24-10

Grand Canyon

Illinois

Photo by: David Cohen

4/21/2018 4:44:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Teams will play Sunday rubber match

By: Josh Hauser

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Grand Canyon out-hit Illinois 8-6 but struggled to string hits together, dropping the second game of the series to the Illini 3-2 on Saturday afternoon. The Lopes had one hit in each inning starting with the second, but didn't have a multi-hit inning.

Jake Repavich tossed six innings, allowing just one run on four hits with five strikeouts.

Illinois' only run off Repavich came in the third. The lefty had a runner picked off but the Lopes couldn't complete the out, and the runner scored on the ensuing play.

GCU evened the score with a run in the fifth. Griffin Barnes got on base via a four-pitch walk, stole second base, and scored on a Preston Pavlica full-count, two-RBI single.

The 1-1 tie remained until the bottom of the eighth when hot-hitting Bren Spillane hit his second solo home run of the series, granting Illinois a 2-1 lead. The Illini scored again when a ball got to the backstop.

The Lopes mounted a furious comeback in the top of the ninth inning. Tyler Wyatt drew a leadoff walk and Barnes singled. After a fielder's choice had runners on the corners, Pavlica hit a sacrifice fly to pull GCU within a run.

Brock Burton, who pinch-hit earlier in the frame, advanced to scoring position on a stolen base, but a fly ball ended the game.

Quin Cotton had a three-hit game, leading off the fourth, sixth and eighth innings with singles. Pavlica drove in both of GCU's runs on the day.

For the second straight weekend, the Lopes will be playing a Sunday rubber match. First pitch is set for 9 a.m. MST at Illinois Field.