Series ends in Stillwater stalemate

Sunday, March 7

Stillwater, Okla.

11 a.m.

Grand Canyon

3-7-1

Oklahoma State

9-0-1

Grand Canyon

Oklahoma State

Photo by: Garrett Ohrenberg

3/7/2021 3:45:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

GCU travel curfew ends game in 4-4 tie at No. 15 Oklahoma State

By: Jerob Moon

STILLWATER, Okla. – The series finale between Grand Canyon and No. 15 Oklahoma State was entertaining down to the final inning with the Sunday game ending in a 4-4 tie because of a travel curfew for the Lopes.

Freshman third baseman Jacob Wilson put together a pair of clutch at bats in the back half of the game. Down 3-2, Wilson tied the game in the fifth on an RBI ground out. The freshman was just getting started as he gave the Lopes a 4-3 lead in the top of the ninth, when he smacked a two-out double to right field on a 2-2 count to score senior shortstop Channy Ortiz from second.

After both teams scored a run in the ninth inning, the game became the 11th tie in GCU baseball program history and the fourth tie since rejoining Division I in 2014. The last time the Lopes were forced into a tie was at Kansas, where lightning and inclement weather halted a 5-5 game in the 10th inning on April 16, 2016.

GCU (3-7-1) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, when Ortiz walked and senior center fielder Brock Burton doubled to open the game. Ortiz scored on a wild pitch that moved Burton to third, allowing him to score on the next pitch when junior second baseman Juan Colato hit a sacrifice fly.

Ortiz was productive for the Lopes again at the leadoff spot, hitting three singles and scoring three runs in Sunday's game. Ortiz and Burton in the No. 2 spot combined for 10 of GCU's 23 hits in the series, including four Burton doubles. Ortiz leads the team with a .436 average with Burton at .326.

The Lopes had tremendous success to lead off innings with men reaching safely in seven of the nine frames. GCU also outhit Oklahoma State for the second time in the three-game series.

Oklahoma State (9-0-1) came back in the bottom of the inning, taking the lead with a three-run home run by Christian Encarnacion on a 1-1 breaking ball from GCU starter Jack Schneider. The senior left-hander had his shortest outing of the season, going 1 2/3 innings with three runs, three hits and two walks allowed.

Lopes relievers Carter Young, Coen Wynne and Frankie Scalzo threw the next 6 1/3 innings, allowing only three hits with 10 strikeouts and no runs. While they collectively walked five batters, they kept runs off the board by stranding 12 Cowboys on base.

The Lopes turned to junior Brodie Cooper-Vassalakis in the bottom of the inning and the right-hander started off strong, getting a ground out and strikeout from the first two batters. But on a full court, Oklahoma State's Brock Mathis tied the game with a solo home run to left center. A groundout on the next batter ended the game in a tie.

The Lopes will prepare for the start of WAC play with UT Rio Grande Valley starting a 10-game homestand at Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark. First pitch for the series opener on March 12 is set for 6 p.m.