Completed Event: Baseball at Washington State on March 20, 2026 , Loss , 3, to, 7
Baseball
at Washington State
L 3-7
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Friday, March 27
Phoenix, Ariz.
6 p.m.
Grand Canyon
9-18, 1-3
9
vs
3
San Diego State
13-14, 2-2
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
6th innning6
7th innning7
8th innning8
9th innning9
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
San Diego State
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
3
9
1
Grand Canyon
1
1
3
2
1
0
1
0
X
9
17
0
Photo by: Jayden Todd
GCU beats San Diego State for 1st MW win
3/27/2026 9:28:00 PM | Baseball
Lopes make program history with 1st MW win in 1st MW home game
Grand Canyon racked up 17 hits and homered four times on Friday night, riding the offensive surge to a 9-3 win over San Diego State at GCU Ballpark for the program's first Mountain West victory.
After surrendering a two-run home run in the top of the first inning, the Lopes (9-18, 1-3 MW) immediately answered and never let up, scoring in five consecutive innings to build a lead.
"I think they were all engaged," said GCU interim head coach Nathan Bannister, coaching his first game in the role. "We gave up a two-run homer, but then (junior right fielder Billy Scaldeferri) comes up in the bottom of the first and hits a homer, saying that we're not going to back down."
That response came quickly. Scaldeferri, batting leadoff for the first time, began the first with a home run, igniting a night in which GCU piled up a season-high 17 hits and launched a season-best four home runs.
The offensive effort only picked up from there. Junior center fielder Griffin Cameron added a solo shot in the second, freshman third baseman Jose Lopez III delivered a two-run homer in the third and junior shortstop Camden Bates followed later in the inning with another blast as GCU turned the early deficit into a commanding lead.
The Lopes added runs in each of the next two innings, capitalizing on consistent traffic on the bases.
"I think, as a team, we jumped on them," Lopez said. "When those guys in front of me set the tone, it's easy for me to go in there and try to smash one."
Lopez finished as a central piece of the offensive effort, driving in four runs as part of a well-rounded effort that saw eight batters log a hit.
"Just being aggressive… battling pitches off, getting the pitch that we want to hit," Perez said of the approach. "We out-toughed them tonight."
On the mound, junior JT Guerrero delivered his longest outing of the season, working seven innings to earn the win. After allowing the early two-run homer, the right-hander settled in and controlled the game, limiting further damage to one fifth-inning run.
"He showed a lot of grit tonight," Lopez said. "Gave one up in the first inning, but came right back and shoved it."
Guerrero scattered eight hits in seven innings, striking out three and only walking one. He threw 97 pitches, 69 of which were strikes.
"When he's in control, good things happen," Bannister said. "He attacked with all his pitches and really stayed in command of the game."
With Guerrero handing the ball off after seven innings, junior Tommy McGuire closed out the final two shutout frames to secure the milestone win.
The result marked history for the Lopes, who combined offensive firepower with steady pitching to open the home portion of Mountain West play in the win column.
"I think everybody showed their talent tonight," Bannister said. "If we can stack good pitches and good at bats, we'll be in a good spot."
GCU and San Diego State resume the series on Saturday at 2 p.m. on Arizona's Family Sports and the Mountain West Network.
After surrendering a two-run home run in the top of the first inning, the Lopes (9-18, 1-3 MW) immediately answered and never let up, scoring in five consecutive innings to build a lead.
"I think they were all engaged," said GCU interim head coach Nathan Bannister, coaching his first game in the role. "We gave up a two-run homer, but then (junior right fielder Billy Scaldeferri) comes up in the bottom of the first and hits a homer, saying that we're not going to back down."
That response came quickly. Scaldeferri, batting leadoff for the first time, began the first with a home run, igniting a night in which GCU piled up a season-high 17 hits and launched a season-best four home runs.
The offensive effort only picked up from there. Junior center fielder Griffin Cameron added a solo shot in the second, freshman third baseman Jose Lopez III delivered a two-run homer in the third and junior shortstop Camden Bates followed later in the inning with another blast as GCU turned the early deficit into a commanding lead.
The Lopes added runs in each of the next two innings, capitalizing on consistent traffic on the bases.
"I think, as a team, we jumped on them," Lopez said. "When those guys in front of me set the tone, it's easy for me to go in there and try to smash one."
Lopez finished as a central piece of the offensive effort, driving in four runs as part of a well-rounded effort that saw eight batters log a hit.
"Just being aggressive… battling pitches off, getting the pitch that we want to hit," Perez said of the approach. "We out-toughed them tonight."
On the mound, junior JT Guerrero delivered his longest outing of the season, working seven innings to earn the win. After allowing the early two-run homer, the right-hander settled in and controlled the game, limiting further damage to one fifth-inning run.
"He showed a lot of grit tonight," Lopez said. "Gave one up in the first inning, but came right back and shoved it."
Guerrero scattered eight hits in seven innings, striking out three and only walking one. He threw 97 pitches, 69 of which were strikes.
"When he's in control, good things happen," Bannister said. "He attacked with all his pitches and really stayed in command of the game."
With Guerrero handing the ball off after seven innings, junior Tommy McGuire closed out the final two shutout frames to secure the milestone win.
The result marked history for the Lopes, who combined offensive firepower with steady pitching to open the home portion of Mountain West play in the win column.
"I think everybody showed their talent tonight," Bannister said. "If we can stack good pitches and good at bats, we'll be in a good spot."
GCU and San Diego State resume the series on Saturday at 2 p.m. on Arizona's Family Sports and the Mountain West Network.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Guerrero, JT (2-3)
L: Lettow, Rohan (3-1)
Batting:
2B: Magpoc, Adam 1
HR: Jackson, Jake 1 ; Peterson, Tyce 1
RBI: Jackson, Jake 1 ; Peterson, Tyce 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Jackson, Jake 1 ; Peterson, Tyce 1 ; Justice, Zach 1
HBP: Kelly, Zane 1
PO: Trosky, Jabin 1
Batting:
HR: Scaldeferri, Billy 1 ; Cameron, Griffin 1 ; Lopez III, Jose 1 ; Bates, Camden 1
RBI: Sanko, Jake 1 ; Scaldeferri, Billy 2 ; Cameron, Griffin 1 ; Lopez III, Jose 4 ; Bates, Camden 1
SF: Scaldeferri, Billy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Schmidt, Trevor 1 ; Sanko, Jake 1 ; Scaldeferri, Billy 2 ; Cameron, Griffin 1 ; Peery, Cannon 1 ; Lopez III, Jose 1 ; Bates, Camden 2
SB: Scaldeferri, Billy 1 ; Lopez III, Jose 1 ; Bates, Camden 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
0
H
3
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
3B/C
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballINF
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