PHOENIX – For the second game in a row, California Baptist University baseball pushed 29
th-ranked and Western Athletic Conference West Division leader Grand Canyon to the absolute limit on Friday night.
The Lancers took a lead in the eighth inning at Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark, but the Lopes responded with a two-run eighth of their own to secure a dramatic 4-3 victory.
David Martin led CBU's offense with a 2-for-4 performance that included two runs batted in. The Lancers got strong pitching performances from
Brandon Downer and
Jared Villalobos against a vaunted GCU offense.
Each gave up two runs in the game. Villalobos gave up three hits, three walks and struck out two in relief, while Downer got the start and threw four innings in which he allowed eight hits, a walk and struck out three.
CBU moves to 22-11 this season and 8-6 in the WAC, while GCU improves to 25-11, 15-2 and has now won eight-straight games. The Lancers and Lopes will close out their series with a noon game on Saturday, April 16 back at Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark.
PLAY-BY-PLAY
Martin gave CBU a lead just about immediately with a solo homer on the fourth pitch of the game. Grand Canyon tied the game with a run of its own in the bottom of the first. The Lopes then took a 2-1 lead with a run in the third.
Michael Carpentier got CBU's offense going again with a leadoff single in the fifth. He took second base on an error and then moved to third on a wild pitch.
Mitchel Simon brought him home with a bloop sacrifice fly into center field.
A one-out, pinch-hit walk on a full count from
Connor Clift put CBU back on the attack in the eighth.
Reeve Holley then drew a five-pitch walk as a pinch hitter to put a runner in scoring position. Martin came through again in the clutch with a 1-2 single up the middle that scored pinch runner
Garret Ostrander from second base.
GCU answered back with two runs in the eighth on three hits, including two doubles.
