Sanders' 11th-inning walk-off clinches series

Saturday, March 29

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

16-10, 4-1

Seattle U

9-17, 1-4

Seattle U

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Rachel Sollazzo

3/29/2025 10:09:00 PM | Baseball

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Lopes mounted comebacks in 9th, 10th innings to win 17th straight WAC series

By: Josh Hauser

Grand Canyon sophomore shortstop Troy Sanders delivered the knockout blow in the form of an 11th-inning walk-off hit to lead the Lopes to a dramatic 6-5 victory over Seattle U on Saturday night at GCU Ballpark.

The Lopes (16-10, 4-1 WAC) faced deficits in the ninth and 10th innings. With its back against the wall, GCU answered in both instances and won it in the 11th.

"I told the guys, 'It wasn't pretty, but it definitely was gritty,' " Lopes head coach Gregg Wallis said. "We gritted it out. We found a way at the end."

Trailing 4-3 in the ninth, GCU senior left fielder Michael Diaz stepped to the plate with two outs. He lined an 0-1 pitch to center to score pinch-running Gunnar Penzkover from second to force the game into extras.

"Michael Diaz went down to our last out, found a way to stay inside a ball and get a base hit," Wallis said.

Again trailing, this time 5-4 in the 10th, GCU graduate center fielder Eddy Pelc delivered the game-tying play on a sacrifice fly.

The Lopes threw up a zero in the top of the 11th to finally earn the advantage in the extra-inning battle. With one out, sophomore Cannon Peery singled and Diaz walked, setting the stage for Sanders' drive over the center fielder's head to win the game.

"He was on time for the fastball," Wallis said. "He's been seeing the ball better and better. He got ahead in the count, was on time for a fastball and really drove it to center field. I'm seeing a lot of positive signs from his at bats the last couple games."

Sanders and Diaz celebrated the win at second base before the full-team mob joined in and migrated to deep center field, about where Sanders' ball dropped moments earlier.

Coming off a 10-0 win on Friday, GCU looked primed to build another big lead in Saturday's game. The Lopes scored three runs in the first on big RBI knocks from Peery and junior first baseman Zach Yorke.

GCU's first-inning offense was not a sign of things to come, however, as the Lopes went scoreless for seven consecutive innings. Seattle U scored a pair in the third and another in the fourth to tie the score. The 3-3 tie would remain intact for five innings.

GCU committed three errors in the game. Key Redhawks' runs were unearned, including the tying run in the fourth, the go-ahead run in the ninth and the go-ahead run in the 10th. But the Lopes persevered to still get the job done.

"It was encouraging because you always want to learn either way, but learning from winning, you'll take," Wallis said. "When you play a sloppy game like that and you find a way to get a win, and you can address all the little things. The little details: a missed sign, some mistakes on the basepaths that may have cost us an extra run here or there, and prevented extra innings, you always want to learn from winning. So we'll take it."

After some mishaps, GCU freshman reliever Billy Gregory restored order when he entered to toss a 1-2-3 11th inning. The momentum translated into the game-winning bottom of the 11th.

"Billy looked dominant," Wallis said. "That's a freshman out there. I think we saw 93-95 (mph), and he was attacking the hitters. He was showing a lot of positive emotion. Billy went out, and he just shut it down. And yes, that led to positive at bats."

In addition to GCU's nine hits, the Lopes drew 14 walks. It was the most in a game for the Lopes since April 9, 2019, when they drew 17 walks against Arizona. In that game, Cuba Bess drew four walks. Junior right fielder Josh Wakefield matched that in Saturday's win, running his on-base percentage to .524.

While Gregory picked up the win for his 11th-inning effort, it was a good evening for GCU's pitching staff. Starting pitcher Garrett Ahern tossed six innings and allowed two earned runs, striking out five. Junior Elijah Higginbottom threw two scoreless. Senior closer Walter Quinn threw two innings and, despite allowing two runs, neither of them were earned.

The Lopes will eye a sweep on Sunday, knowing they have already clinched their 17th consecutive conference series. Junior left-hander Chance Key will make the noon start for GCU.