GCU sweeps San Diego swing

Saturday, Nov. 9		R	H	E
	GCU	4	8	0
	UCSD	3	9	1

Sunday, Nov. 10		R	H	E
	GCU	9	11	0
	USD	7	14	2

SAN DIEGO — The Grand Canyon baseball team defeated UC San Diego on Saturday and San Diego on Sunday in a pair of fall ball exhibitions.

The Lopes built an early lead against the Tritons on Saturday, hanging on late and leaning on strong pitching to earn a 4-3 victory. The script flipped on Sunday with GCU falling behind 5-0 early but chipping away to defeat the Toreros 9-7.

"Good lessons," Lopes head coach Andy Stankiewicz said. "Yesterday, we got up early and got in cruise control. UCSD did a good job of getting themselves back in it and making it close. Today was another great example. USD jumped out early and the guys just said, 'Don't panic. Just keep playing. Let's score two. Let's score one. Let's score one.' Before you know it, because we put some good at bats together, all of a sudden you look at the scoreboard and we've got a tie game."

GCU sophomore infielder Jonny Weaver swung the hottest bat on the weekend, going 6 for 9 (.667) with four RBIs coming on four run-scoring hits.

"I'm just trying to do anything to help the team win," Weaver said. "I got some barrels on them, which was good. Using the middle of the field, so that was big for me. Looking to carry it into the season."

The Lopes played two 10-inning exhibitions, one against one of the country's top Division II programs in soon-to-be Division I member UCSD and another against a historically good San Diego program. Ten pitchers saw action over the 20 innings of play.

"It was time," Stankiewicz said of facing another opponent. "We had all those intersquads and after awhile you get tired of facing your own teammates. It was time."

GCU had a lead three batters into Saturday's matchup at Triton Ballpark with junior infielder Drew Smith hitting an RBI single to score fellow junior infielder Channy Ortiz. In the fourth, Weaver hit an RBI single and sophomore outfielder Jake Jarvis scored on a wild pitch. GCU added more insurance, which it would later need, in the sixth inning on an RBI double by Weaver.

Kade Mechals, Jack Schneider and Brodie Cooper-Vassalakis combined to shut out UCSD over the first seven innings, allowing just two hits while striking out 11. UCSD threatened with three late runs, but junior Coen Wynne nailed down the save.

"It was a good experience and a good lesson for this team," Stankiewicz said. "A lot of new guys and guys playing more than they've ever played. So we need to find out who can do what."

A day later, GCU visited Fowler Park and found itself down 5-0 after two innings that included a San Diego grand slam.

The Lopes chipped away at the lead, scoring in five of the game's final eight innings. A seventh-inning double by Weaver tied the game and a single by Smith in the next at bat gave GCU the lead. San Diego tied the game in the seventh, but the Lopes scored three times in the eighth to seal the victory.

"Even if it's an exhibition, you're always trying to win the game," Weaver said. "We're a competitive squad and you saw it today for 10 innings. It showed."

Junior outfielder Dominic Grissom jump-started the comeback effort with a two-run home run to left that put GCU on the board in the third. Senior infielder Dane Stankiewicz pulled the Lopes within one in the fifth. The eighth-inning damage was done on an RBI groundout from Ortiz, a run-scoring double from Stankiewicz and another RBI double by Weaver.

"We've had a great fall going against each other, but it's always good to go up against another team and see where we're at," Weaver said. "I think we're in a really good position and playing for each other."

GCU's bullpen of Pierson Ohl, Cal Lambert, Cole Hoskins and Zach Barnes teamed for seven innings of two-run baseball.

"When you face an opponent, it starts to reveal some things," Stankeiwcz said. "We, as a staff, can see some things we need to work on for the rest of the fall and into January. We'll tighten up those areas. We have stuff to go home, evaluate and work on. More than anything, I was encouraged by our relentless at bats."

Fall practices wind down in the next two weeks for the Lopes before a winter break. Practice will resume in January before a Feb. 14, 2020, opening weekend series against Oklahoma State.

Grand Canyon University Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Zach Barnes

Brodie Cooper-Vassalakis

Dominic Grissom

Cole Hoskins

Jake Jarvis

Cal Lambert

Kade Mechals

Pierson Ohl

Channy Ortiz

Jack Schneider

Drew Smith

Dane Stankiewicz

Jonny Weaver

Coen Wynne

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