Lopes spilt doubleheader with UTRGV

Saturday, March 13

Phoenix, Ariz.

2 p.m.

Grand Canyon

4-8-1, 1-1

UT Rio Grande Valley

8-5, 1-1

UT Rio Grande Valley

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Alan Cisneros

3/13/2021 8:50:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Buries shines in game one, UTRGV takes game two

By: Jerob Moon

The Grand Canyon baseball team split their first conference doubleheader winning game one and dropping game two at Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark.

Freshman Elijah Buries led the Lopes (4-9-1, 1-2 WAC) in game one with a 2-for-4, 4 RBI performance as the offense came alive in an 8-4 win in seven innings. The Vaqueros (9-5, 2-1 WAC) come back with a 9-4 win in the nightcap.

Game One

It was a back-and-forth first game with the Lopes came out of the gates strong with two runs in the first thanks to a UTRGV balk and RBI groundout by Buries.

The Vaqueros would answer with a three-run homerun off GCU starter Pierson Ohl to take the lead 3-2 in the top of the third. GCU would take the lead right back with an RBI single by Buries in the third and an RBI's fielder's choice groundout by freshman Jacob Wilson to lead 4-3.

Ohl would need the offensive support after allowing a season-high four runs off five hits. After allowing a run to score in the sixth, Frankie Scalzo came in on relief and got out of the inning stranding two runners in scoring position.

In the bottom of the inning the Lopes would take control. Three walks by Channy Ortiz, Brock Burton and Juan Coalto would load the bases for Buries with one out. Buries would hit a hard ground ball to the UTRGV third baseman and it bounced off his glove allowing two runs to score to give the Lopes a lead.

Two batters later right fielder Dominic Grissom laced a ball to left center that scored two more runs to extend the GCU lead to 8-4. Scalzo would shut the door in the bottom of the inning allowing just one hit while stranding two baserunners.

Game Two

In game two it was UTRGV who came out strong scoring two runs in the top of the first off junior lefty Sasha Sneider in his first start for the Lopes.

Like in the first game GCU came back to tie it up with a single by Colato that scored catcher Grant South after he led off the inning with a double. Buries would chip in two batter later with an RBI groundout for his fifth run batted in today.

But in the fourth the Vaqueros would blow the game open with a seven-run inning. Reliever Brodie Cooper-Vassalakis replaced Sneider after he gave up a double to start the inning. Seven of the next eight batters would reach base for UTRGV capping off the inning with a two-run homerun by Conrado Diaz, his second homer of the day.

Down 9-2 the Lopes were held off the scoreboard until the bottom of the ninth when freshman Ryland Zaborowski hit a two-run homerun to left field.

Centerfielder Brock Burton and South each picked up two hits for GCU while reliever Cal Lambert had a solid outing with 3.1 scoreless innings allowing just two hits.

The Lopes and Vaqueros will meet for the fourth and final time tomorrow at 12 p.m. (Phoenix time).