Lopes drop midweek finale to CSUN

Wednesday, March 9

Phoenix, Ariz.

2 p.m.

Grand Canyon

8-5

CSUN

7-5

Cal State Northridge

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Skyler Coblentz

3/9/2022 6:18:00 PM | Baseball

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GCU pitching hits 8 batters; Lopes, Matadors split series

By: Jerob Moon

The Grand Canyon baseball team wrapped up its first midweek series at GCU Ballpark, dropping the finale 9-4 to CSUN on Wednesday.

The Lopes (8-5) and Matadors (7-5) were tied 1-1 until the top of the sixth, when CSUN blew the game open with six runs on five hits and three hit batters.

GCU got on the board in the bottom of the first on a double down the right field line by sophomore shortstop Jacob Wilson. That scored sophomore leadoff hitter Homer Bush Jr. from first after he led off the inning with an eight-pitch walk.

It was a bullpen day for both teams, and GCU junior starter Blake Reilly threw an effective two innings in his second midweek start of the season, collecting three strikeouts while only allowing five hits. Freshman right-hander R.J. Elmore took over for Reilly in the top of the third, and the Lopes nearly got out of the inning unscathed until a throwing error allowed a two-out run to tie the game at 1-1.

In the top of the sixth, the Matadors led off with two singles before an apparent missed call at first base on a Matadors sacrifice bunt attempt loaded the bases with no outs. Senior pitcher Jason Nelson replaced sophomore Carter Young, but two straight hit batters resulted in runs for CSUN to end the outing. The Matadors cleared the bases in the next two plate appearances with a sacrifice fly and a triple to blow the game open at 7-1.

After CSUN added two more runs in the eighth, the Lopes finished the game with three runs in the bottom of the ninth. Freshman second baseman Jaxson Wall and two pinch hitters, junior Ty Siffermann and sophomore Dalton Sloniger, tallied three straight hits with Wall scoring on Sloniger's hit to right field. Third baseman Juan Colato hit his second double of the day to score Siffermann, before a CSUN error scored Sloniger from third to make the 9-4 final.

Colato finished with a season-high three hits, while relievers junior Taisei Yahiro and freshman Ryan Scheifer each threw scoreless outings.

The Lopes will be back in action this weekend with three games against San Diego at GCU Ballpark.