Completed Event: Baseball at Washington State on March 21, 2026 , Loss , 5, to, 6 , (10 inn.)
Baseball
at Washington State
L 5-6
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Saturday, March 28
Phoenix, Ariz.
2 p.m.
Grand Canyon
9-19, 1-4
11
vs
12
San Diego State
14-14, 3-2
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
6th innning6
7th innning7
8th innning8
9th innning9
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
San Diego State
1
0
5
1
0
2
0
0
3
12
14
0
Grand Canyon
0
4
1
4
0
0
0
0
2
11
13
3
Photo by: Kaily Green
Lopes slug 2 grand slams; SDSU evens series
3/28/2026 5:53:00 PM | Baseball
GCU records 1st multi-grand slam game since 2006, falls in 12-11 battle with San Diego State
Grand Canyon hit a pair of grand slams on Saturday afternoon but fell just short in a 12-11 loss to San Diego State at GCU Ballpark.
The ninth inning, which began tied, featured five combined runs. San Diego State (14-14, 3-2 MW) used a three-run homer to take a 12-9 lead after a hit batter and walk put two runners on base. The Lopes (9-19, 1-4 MW) fought back with a pair of runs but left the tying run in scoring position.
In a back-and-forth game that featured multiple momentum swings, the Lopes hit two grand slams — the first time GCU has accomplished the feat since April 28, 2006. The power display highlighted an offense that continued its surge from the series opener, finishing with 11 runs on 13 hits.
After falling behind early, GCU responded with a four-run second inning to take its first lead of the day. San Diego State answered with a five-run third inning, but the Lopes again punched back, plating four runs in the fourth to reclaim momentum in a game that refused to settle.
The defining moments came via the long ball. Sophomore second baseman Jake Sanko and junior center fielder Griffin Cameron each launched grand slams, accounting for eight of GCU's 11 runs and marking a rare offensive feat.
The second grand slam gave GCU a 9-7 lead which it held until a two-run sixth tied the score and San Diego State won it in the ninth.
On the mound, junior Garrett Ahern, junior Nicholas Robb and senior Cam Cunnings combined to navigate a challenging offensive day from the Aztecs, who totaled 12 runs on 14 hits. Robb proved most effective, limiting the Aztecs to two runs over four innings of relief work.
With a comeback mindset in the bottom of the ninth, Sanko was hit by a pitch and junior first baseman Cannon Peery doubled. Sophomore Gunnar Penzkover hit a sac fly, and senior designated hitter Dominic Chacon pulled GCU within a run on a double.
A pair of transfers in junior shortstop Camden Bates and Cameron had success in the No. 8 and 9 spots in the Lopes' lineup with three- and two-hit days, respectively.
While the result did not fall in GCU's favor, the offensive output — highlighted by two grand slams and another double-digit scoring performance — underscored a lineup finding its rhythm early in its first home Mountain West series.
GCU will play its second rubber match of the season when it hosts San Diego State on Sunday at 12 p.m. on Arizona's Family Sports and the Mountain West Network.
The ninth inning, which began tied, featured five combined runs. San Diego State (14-14, 3-2 MW) used a three-run homer to take a 12-9 lead after a hit batter and walk put two runners on base. The Lopes (9-19, 1-4 MW) fought back with a pair of runs but left the tying run in scoring position.
In a back-and-forth game that featured multiple momentum swings, the Lopes hit two grand slams — the first time GCU has accomplished the feat since April 28, 2006. The power display highlighted an offense that continued its surge from the series opener, finishing with 11 runs on 13 hits.
After falling behind early, GCU responded with a four-run second inning to take its first lead of the day. San Diego State answered with a five-run third inning, but the Lopes again punched back, plating four runs in the fourth to reclaim momentum in a game that refused to settle.
The defining moments came via the long ball. Sophomore second baseman Jake Sanko and junior center fielder Griffin Cameron each launched grand slams, accounting for eight of GCU's 11 runs and marking a rare offensive feat.
The second grand slam gave GCU a 9-7 lead which it held until a two-run sixth tied the score and San Diego State won it in the ninth.
On the mound, junior Garrett Ahern, junior Nicholas Robb and senior Cam Cunnings combined to navigate a challenging offensive day from the Aztecs, who totaled 12 runs on 14 hits. Robb proved most effective, limiting the Aztecs to two runs over four innings of relief work.
With a comeback mindset in the bottom of the ninth, Sanko was hit by a pitch and junior first baseman Cannon Peery doubled. Sophomore Gunnar Penzkover hit a sac fly, and senior designated hitter Dominic Chacon pulled GCU within a run on a double.
A pair of transfers in junior shortstop Camden Bates and Cameron had success in the No. 8 and 9 spots in the Lopes' lineup with three- and two-hit days, respectively.
While the result did not fall in GCU's favor, the offensive output — highlighted by two grand slams and another double-digit scoring performance — underscored a lineup finding its rhythm early in its first home Mountain West series.
GCU will play its second rubber match of the season when it hosts San Diego State on Sunday at 12 p.m. on Arizona's Family Sports and the Mountain West Network.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Russell, Aidan (4-1)
L: Cunnings, Cam (1-3)
S: McKnight, Bryce (2)
Batting:
2B: Jackson, Jake 1 ; Magpoc, Adam 1 ; Justice, Zach 1
HR: Peterson, Tyce 1
RBI: Jackson, Jake 1 ; Santana, Dawson 2 ; Magpoc, Adam 2 ; Peterson, Tyce 3 ; Farrell, Max 1 ; Marnell IV, Anthony 1 ; Justice, Zach 1
SH: Kelly, Zane 1
SF: Magpoc, Adam 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jackson, Jake 3 ; Magpoc, Adam 1 ; Peterson, Tyce 3 ; Trosky, Jabin 2 ; Farrell, Max 1 ; Justice, Zach 2
SB: Magpoc, Adam 1
HBP: Trosky, Jabin 2
Batting:
2B: Schmidt, Trevor 1 ; Peery, Cannon 2 ; Chacon, Dominic 1 ; Bates, Camden 1
HR: Sanko, Jake 1 ; Cameron, Griffin 1
RBI: Sanko, Jake 4 ; Cameron, Griffin 4 ; Penzkover, Gunnar 1 ; Chacon, Dominic 1 ; Lopez III, Jose 1
SF: Penzkover, Gunnar 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Perez, Mito 1 ; Schmidt, Trevor 1 ; Sanko, Jake 2 ; Scaldeferri, Billy 1 ; Cameron, Griffin 2 ; Peery, Cannon 2 ; Chacon, Dominic 1 ; Bates, Camden 1
SB: Scaldeferri, Billy 1 ; Cameron, Griffin 1
HBP: Sanko, Jake 1 ; Scaldeferri, Billy 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
4
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball1B
/ Baseball
RHP/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
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