CBU Battles Back in One-Run Game at #29 Grand Canyon

Thursday, April 14

Phoenix

6 PM

California Baptist University

22-10, 8-5

Grand Canyon

24-11, 14-2

California Baptist

Grand Canyon

CBU Battles Back in One-Run Game at #29 Grand Canyon

4/14/2022 8:44:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Andrew Shortall, Director of Athletics Communications

PHOENIX – California Baptist University baseball battled back from a four-run deficit on the road at 29^th-ranked Grand Canyon on Thursday.

The Lancers were down a run with two outs in the top of the ninth but Harrison Spohn extended the game with a solo homer. The Lopes came right back and walked it off in the bottom of the ninth for an 8-6 victory in the Western Athletic Conference series opener.

🙌 𝐓𝐈𝐄 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄 🙌

HARRISON SPOHN TIES THE GAME WITH TWO OUTS IN THE NINTH WITH A 💣#LanceUp⚔ pic.twitter.com/hLbHxYEDap
— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) April 15, 2022

CBU had 12 hits in the game and got two-hit performances from David Martin, Michael Carpentier and Mitchel Simon. Martin extended his hitting streak to 13 games in the process.

The Lopes improve to 24-11 on the year and 14-2 in WAC play as they extend their lead in the West Division standings, while CBU moves to 22-10 and 8-5 for second place in conference.

PLAY-BY-PLAY
Grand Canyon jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning and pushed the advantage to 5-1 with two more runs in the third.

The Lancers looked to make some noise in the top of the second inning after three leadoff singles from Michael Carpentier, Russell Stevenson and Mitchel Simon. A double-play grounder scored a run but limited the output in the inning.

After giving up five runs on five hits in the first and second innings, CJ Culpepper quieted the Lopes' offense over his other 3.1 innings on the mound. He did not allow a run and just two hits over the rest of his start, including the fourth and fifth innings.

Jake Skipworth comes up clutch 💪#LanceUp⚔ pic.twitter.com/GHDfu22pD0
— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) April 15, 2022

It allowed CBU to swing its way back into it and tie the game with two runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Grady Tuohy and David Martin singled to start the top of the fifth and then scored on a clutch two-out, two-RBI double from Jake Skipworth to cut GCU's lead to 5-3.

A leadoff walk to Stevenson in the sixth set up a two-run bomb to center field from Mitchel Simon on 1 -2 pitch in the sixth. It was good for his sixth homer over the last eight games and tied the game at 5-5.

Mitchel Simon has 6⃣ homers in the last 8⃣ games, but none bigger than this.#LanceUp⚔ pic.twitter.com/1SoTyguokv
— California Baptist Baseball (@CBUbaseball) April 15, 2022

GCU took the lead back with a run in the eighth, but Spohn's blast with two outs in the top of the ninth forced the Lopes to take their at-bats in the final inning. Grand Canyon got a leadoff single and then a two-run homer to end the game.

UP NEXT
The Lancers and Lopes will continue their Western Athletic Conference West Division series with another 6 p.m. game on Friday, April 15, at Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark. The finale is set for a noon start on Saturday, April 16.