Grand Canyon baseball faced a tough challenge against Oklahoma State, losing 9-1 Friday night at GCU Ballpark. The Lopes had started strong in the series, winning 12-8 on Thursday, but couldn’t maintain that momentum.
The game was scoreless for the first two innings. Then, Oklahoma State struck first with a run in the third. They exploded in the fourth inning, scoring five runs, which coach Gregg Wallis noted set them back considerably. “We gave them too much in that inning,” he said. “You can’t let teams like that extend innings.”
Oklahoma State added three more runs in the sixth. The Lopes finally got on the board in the seventh. Junior shortstop Camden Bates led off with a single. A pinch-hitter, Jake Sanko, who had missed the first weekend due to a minor injury, made an immediate impact by driving in a run with his first pitch of the season.
GCU’s juniors, Cannon Peery and Billy Scaldeferri, contributed well at the plate, going a combined 4 for 8. Scaldeferri had GCU’s only extra-base hit of the night, a double in the sixth.
On the pitching side, seniors Brock Toney and junior Tommy McGuire were standout performers, combining for three scoreless innings and seven strikeouts. Wallis highlighted their efforts, saying, “Those were definitely bright spots.”
Overall, GCU’s pitchers struck out 17 Oklahoma State batters, their highest total in a game since 2025. They’ve been on a roll lately, averaging 13 strikeouts per nine innings, a figure that would have led the nation last season. Remarkably, they’ve now struck out over 15 batters in three consecutive games.
Garrett Ahern, a junior right-hander, had a mixed outing, tossing four innings but giving up six runs and walking four. It’s a reminder that consistency is key in baseball, especially against tough opponents.
As the series continues, GCU will look to regroup and capitalize on their pitching strengths while improving their batting approach. The next game is Saturday at 2 p.m. on the Mountain West Network.
For more detailed stats and breakdowns, you can check out resources like NCAA Baseball.
