Lopes cut up Saturday video games vs. Saint Mary’s, Rice

Grand Canyon cut up a two-game Saturday at Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark with a 9-8 win over Saint Mary’s and a 13-2 loss to Rice.

GCU will conclude the weekend with a 2:30 p.m. sport on Sunday in opposition to Saint Mary’s.

 

Game 1: Pair of 4-run frames powers Lopes’ victory

GCU used two explosive innings and held on late to defeat Saint Mary’s 9-8 within the first of two Lopes’ video games.

The Lopes scored 4 runs in each the second and sixth innings, offering simply sufficient offense to carry off a late Gaels rally.

Sophomore second baseman Jake Sanko led the offense with a three-hit day, freshman third baseman Jose Lopez III blasted his first profession dwelling run, and junior right-hander JT Guerrero earned his first win as a Lope with six robust innings on the mound.

Both groups struck within the second inning, with GCU rapidly turning a one-run deficit right into a 4-1 lead. Junior catcher Marcus Galvan began the rally with an RBI single earlier than Sanko adopted with a run-scoring hit to middle. Junior proper fielder Billy Scaldeferri drove in two extra runs with a single to left, capping a four-run body that put the Lopes in management early.

The Lopes added one other run within the third when Lopez launched a 407-foot solo homer to deep middle discipline, the freshman’s first dwelling run. 

Saint Mary’s answered with two runs within the fourth to chop the deficit to 5-3, however GCU responded once more within the sixth with one other four-run inning.

Senior designated hitter Dominic Chacon doubled to start out the rally earlier than junior Trevor Schmidt delivered a pinch-hit RBI single. A Gaels throwing error allowed one other run to attain, Galvan added an RBI double and Scaldeferri lifted a sacrifice fly to increase the Lopes’ result in 9-3.

That lead proved to be simply sufficient.

Saint Mary’s added a run within the seventh and 4 extra within the eighth to slender its deficit to 9-8. With two innings of labor, senior righty Cameron Cunnings earned his first save. Cunnings used a double play to assist alleviate a jam within the eighth after which tossed a 1-2-3 ninth.

Sanko completed 3 for five with an RBI and a double, whereas Galvan drove in two runs and scored twice. Scaldeferri additionally completed with three RBIs because the Lopes totaled 10 hits. 

On the mound, Guerrero labored six innings to earn his first win at GCU, permitting three runs (two earned) whereas putting out two.

Despite the late push from the Gaels, the early offensive bursts and Guerrero’s regular begin helped the Lopes safe the one-run victory.

Game 2: Rice pulls away late

GCU dropped the nightcap to Rice, falling 13-2 in seven innings.

The Lopes scored early with runs within the first and third innings, highlighted by freshman left fielder Tanner Johns’ two-out solo dwelling run – the primary of his profession – however the Owls took management with a three-run fourth inning and broke the sport open with an eight-run sixth.

Junior first baseman Cannon Peery drove in GCU’s different run with a two-out RBI double within the first, whereas Sanko, Johns, Peery and junior catcher Kade Huff accounted for the Lopes’ 4 hits. 

Rice completed with 12 hits and drew six walks.