PHOENIX, Ariz. — Seattle U baseball (5-11, 0-3 WAC) dropped its day-night doubleheader with Grand Canyon (8-9-1, 5-2 WAC) on Saturday, falling 9-2 in game one, before a late GCU rally resulted in a 9-8 decision.
"Today was a tough day for us," said Redhawks head coach Donny Harrel. "We not get quality starts from our pitching staff and our bridge of relievers continue to struggle to keep us in game or held our lead. I thought we swung it well enough to win the second game, but gave up a key home runs that cost us the opportunity. We need to continue to find the right formula to create opportunities to win."
Trailing the series, 0-3, the Redhawks will try salvage a favorable result in the series finale tomorrow. First pitch is slated for 12 pm PT.
Game 1 – SU 2, GCU 9 / 7 inn
The Redhawks scored by way of the long-ball as Connor O'Brien and Grand Heiser each had a solo home runs, in the second and fifth inning respectively. O'Brien's shot was his second of the season and gave Seattle U a 1-0 lead. Trailing 4-1, Hesier turned on a 1-0 pitch to cut the deficit in half, as he recorded his first career home run.
Seattle U starter Nestor German was dealt the loss, allowing four runs, three earned, while scattering four hits in four innings. The right-hander escaped a bases loaded jam in the first, but GCU managed to push one across in the second to tie. He was then tagged with a two-run as part of a three-run frame in the fourth.
Reliever Brady Liddle then took over in the fifth with a three-up, three-down frame. However a shaky sixth, resulted in a five-run frame for the Lopes.
Collectively, Seattle U was 6-for-26 at the plate, as five Redhawks recorded a hit, including Julian Kodama who was 2-for-3. SU left a runner stranded in the second, fourth and fifth, while defensively surrendering a season-high five errors.
Game 2 — SU 8, GCU 9
In the nightcap, the Redhawks and Lopes put on an offensive display as they combined for 17 runs and 25 hits.
With Seattle U leading 8-5 midway through the sixth, the Lopes cut the advantage to one, 8-7, as they pushed two runs across. The Redhawks were then held scoreless in the next two frames, allowing momentum to swing towards GCU. In the home half of the eighth, the Lopes completed the rally with as a two-run home run provided the final margin.
Redhawk starter Morgan White was granted a no-decision after allowing six runs on five hits. The righty also walked two and had five strikeouts in five innings. Reliever Alex McBee was charged with the loss as he surrendered three runs on six in three innings of work.
Trailing 2-0 after the first, Seattle U scratched one across in the second to trim the deficit in half. Then in the third, Matt Boissoneault tied the game as he poked a single through the left side, allowing Julian Kodama to score and make it 2-2. Two outs later, Kyle Sherick knocked a 3-2 pitch through the right side bringing in Justin Mazzone and Boissoneault for a 4-2 advantage.
Grand Canyon responded in the home half of the third with a RBI-single and a two-run homer as it erased the Redhawk lead and made it 5-4 Lopes.
The Redhawks then answered with a four-hit, three-run fourth. Gavin Rork and O'Brien lead the inning with back-to-back singles. O'Brien eventually was retired on a fielder's choice which allowed Kodama to reach. With runners on the corners, Mazzone snuck one through the right side allowing Rork to easily score from third. Boissoneault then nudged SU out front 6-5 with bloop-single to center which brought Kodama in. Mazzone then completed his trip around the bases thanks in part to an Austin Lively ground out.
The Seattle U scoring came to an end in the sixth, as Boissoneault slapped a single to right, ushering O'Brien across after a lead-off double. With the run, Boissoneault recorded a career-best fourth RBI and grabbed a share of the sixth-best single-game performance.
Five Seattle U batters finished with two or more hits, while seven total Redhawks registered a hit. Mazzone and Boissoneault led the way with three hits each. Mazzone did it in three official at-bats as he also drew two walks, with Boissoneault doing it in five trips to the dish. O'Brien, Kodama and Manigo had two hits each.