Grand Canyon University (GCU) clinched a close win against Saint Mary’s, finishing 9-8 at their home field, Brazell Field. The Lopes, now with a record of 7-12, relied on two explosive innings to stay ahead.
The game started with a bang in the second inning, where GCU quickly transformed a one-run deficit into a 4-1 lead. Junior catcher Marcus Galvan kicked off the rally with an RBI single. Jake Sanko, the sophomore second baseman, followed up with a hit that drove in another run. Junior right fielder Billy Scaldeferri rounded out the scoring with a two-RBI single.
In the third inning, freshman third baseman Jose Lopez III hit a huge 407-foot solo home run—his first at the collegiate level—extending the lead to 5-1.
Saint Mary’s put up a fight, scoring two runs in the fourth to cut the gap to 5-3. However, GCU responded in the sixth with another four runs. It started with senior designated hitter Dominic Chacon’s double followed by Trevor Schmidt’s pinch-hit RBI single. A throwing error by the Gaels led to another run, then Galvan knocked in an RBI double, and Scaldeferri added a sacrifice fly. The Lopes were now up 9-3.
Despite the strong start from GCU, Saint Mary’s struck back hard. They added one run in the seventh and four more in the eighth, closing the gap to just one run at 9-8. Senior righty Cameron Cunnings stepped up to earn his first save, managing to navigate a tough situation and securing a perfect ninth inning.
Sanko stood out with a solid performance, finishing 3 for 5 with an RBI and a double. Galvan added two RBIs and scored twice, while Scaldeferri also drove in three runs, contributing to the Lopes’ 10 hits overall. On the mound, Guerrero pitched six innings, allowing three runs (two earned) and striking out two batters for his first victory at GCU.
This game highlights an interesting trend in college baseball. Teams often rely on big innings to secure wins, which has been supported by recent statistics showing that games with multiple scoring bursts often favor teams that can maintain their momentum. GCU will face Rice later today, aiming to keep the winning momentum going.
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