Bullpen beats Stanford in 18

Friday, February 28

Stanford, Calif.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

6-3

Stanford

1-8

Grand Canyon

Stanford

Photo by: Cody Glenn/isiphotos.com

2/29/2020 2:33:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score Photo Gallery

GCU relievers lock down Cardinal bats on road

By: Jerob Moon

STANFORD, Calif. – In the longest game of the college baseball season thus far, the Grand Canyon baseball team outlasted Stanford 5-3 in an 18-inning marathon that spanned 5 hours, 45 minutes Friday night at Sunken Diamond.

GCU (6-3) has won six of its last eight games against Pac-12 opponents, including an extra-inning, walk-off win against Oregon earlier this month at home.

It was the longest game in time and innings played since GCU's return to Division I and, according to Lopes head coach Andy Stankiewicz, a wild way to start off a series.

"Man, it was crazy, crazy," Stankiewicz said. "You never really anticipate an 18-inning ballgame on a Friday night. But their starter (Brandon Beck) was good. He did a great job, and I think this game was about our relieving corps. They came in and continued to give us a shot. That's what they have been doing so far. It's encouraging to see the job that they have been doing. This win is all about our relievers."

Pitching was the storyline of the game with teams combining to score in only three of the game's 36 frames. GCU's bullpen shut down the Cardinal offense after Lopes starter Kade Mechals was taken out midway through the fifth.

Seven pitchers from GCU's bullpen combined to throw 13 2/3 innings with 14 strikeouts on 145 pitches. The bullpen allowed only one run, which came after the Lopes posted a three-run lead in the top of the 18th. GCU's bullpen holds a 1.29 ERA on the season and has struck out 44 batters in 42 innings.

Lopes relievers Zach Barnes, Cole Hoskins, Cal Lambert, Brodie Cooper-Vassalakis, Frankie Scalzo and Coen Wynne all had scoreless appearances with Nick Hull pitching the final two innings to earn the win.

GCU pitchers clamped down, allowing the Cardinal to hit just 1 for 11 (.111) with runners in scoring position while stranding 15 runners on base. Stanford only had two extra-base hits in the game, both coming in the bottom of the 18th.

The Lopes and Cardinal were pushed to extra innings after GCU junior shortstop Channy Ortiz hit a two-run home run in the top of the eighth to level the score. After that blast, there was no scoring for 10 innings until the Lopes pushed three across in the top of the 18th.

"You've got to keep grinding and keep trying to figure out a way to get to first and then to second," Stankiewicz added. "A big home run by Channy. That was big because they were kind of cruising on us pretty good. That was a big shot there to tie it up. It gave us a little bit of momentum and confidence that we're back in it."

Two of the three runs scored by GCU in the 18th inning came via consecutive bases-loaded walks drawn by Brock Burton and Nate Gawelko. The next batter, Tayler Aguilar, reached on a fielder's choice that scored Drew Smith from third.

Stanford starting pitcher Brandon Beck went eight innings with seven strikeouts on 106 pitches.

The numbers from the game were staggering. There were a combined 110 at bats, 577 pitches thrown, 14 pitchers used and 18 strikeouts for each team. Stanford freshman designated hitter Carson Greene finished 1 for 2 with six walks, which tied a NCAA Division I record.

It was GCU that emerged victorious for the second time in extra innings and now has a chance to take the series on Saturday at 3 p.m. (Phoenix time).

"There were tough lessons that we're going to have to build on and learn as the season goes further," Stankiewicz said. "But hey man, a win against Stanford on Friday night— shoot, we'll take it."