Relief limits No. 16 Texas Tech for 8 innings of loss

Tuesday, April 18

Lubbock, Texas

4:30 p.m. (MST)

Grand Canyon

20-16

Texas Tech

26-12

Grand Canyon

Texas Tech

4/18/2023 8:04:00 PM | Baseball, Paul Coro

Box Score

Smith stands outs with 2 2/3 shutout innings vs. nation's 8th-ranked offense

By: Paul Coro

LUBBOCK, Texas – For the final eight innings of Grand Canyon baseball's first trip to Texas Tech in eight years, the Lopes neutralized a top-10 hitting team in its offensive-friendly ballpark on Tuesday night.

But GCU could not flex its usual strength wielding its bats. Between tying a season low with five hits and spotting the Red Raiders a 4-0, first-inning lead, the Lopes left Rip Griffin Park with a 6-1 loss to No. 16 Texas Tech and a will to assemble its best parts for Wednesday's rematch.

The Red Raiders (26-12) moved to 22-4 at home despite the Lopes relievers keeping them to 4-for-27 hitting over eight innings. The bullpen effort followed a Sunday win at Abilene Christian in which relievers shut out the Wildcats for the final four innings.

"That was the story of the day," GCU head coach Gregg Wallis said. "It was a rough first inning, but to only give up two runs in eight innings in Lubbock, Texas, on a Tuesday, that was really cool. We had a lot of pitchers step up and compete. That's what we've been looking for to add on to a couple guys doing really well to get deeper for this conference run."

The GCU star of the night was freshman Jace Smith, an unflappable right-hander who thrived in his third outing despite facing the nation's eighth-best hitting team in front of 4,196 fans.

The Glendale Mountain Ridge High School graduate tossed 2 2/3 no-hit innings just two weeks after his collegiate debut at UNLV and three innings of one-hit relief on Friday night at Abilene Christian.

"Coming out in this environment was great," Smith said. "I love it. It locked me more in to be in a bigger environment. It felt good to come out and get that trust.

"It built confidence. I just came out and did my job and what Wally wanted – throw some zeroes up and get our offense back in the dugout."

After a pair of two-run, first-inning home runs limited GCU starter Carter Young to one inning, Smith entered and worked the edges of the strike zone with his fastball. He walked two Red Raiders but did not allow either to advance.

"He seized an opportunity," Wallis said of Smith. "His stuff has always been there. He had a typical freshman fall and early spring, but when he got an opportunity in a real game, he stepped up competitively. He's played up when he gets in a real game. That shows competitiveness from him."

Texas Tech freshman left-hander Taber Fast went a career-high six innings by leaving GCU runners on base in each of the first five innings. The Lopes (20-16) struck out looking with runners in scoring position four times, three of which came against Fast. GCU went 2 for 20 against him.

"We were over the top of a lot of balls, and their pitchers must be trained to sink it or pitch with some tilt," Wallis said. "A lot of balls that we would usually drive, we were over the top and pounding into the turf. If we take more competitive at bats and get that pitching and defense, we've got a good shot.

"They pitched a little backward. Some of the strikeouts looking, they had done a nice job throwing sliders and then they snuck some fastballs in there. Our hitters weren't on it, but you've got to tip your cap to do what they did with their pitching plan."

Texas Tech has scored more than six runs in 27 of its 38 games this season, and the Red Raiders only reached six on Tuesday because of a breakout game by Preseason All-America first-teamer Ty Coleman. After hitting one home run on the season and coming into Tuesday with .243 hitting, the senior designated hitter went deep twice with his second round-tripper extending the lead to 5-0 in the fifth inning.

The Lopes avoided a shutout, which only has happened to them once this season, when graduate second baseman Zack Gregory doubled to the right-center field gap to score freshman third baseman Emilio Barreras in the seventh inning. Gregory is 9 for 16 with two home runs and two doubles in the past five games after hitting .247 previously.

GCU put runners in scoring position with fewer than two outs in the second, fourth, seventh and eighth innings without bringing them home.

"We get a chance to come right back," Wallis said after Texas Tech ended its four-game losing streak in the series. "We know that's a good team, but we can play with them and we want to prove that tomorrow."

The Lopes and Red Raiders play again Tuesday at 10 a.m. (Phoenix time) on ESPN+.