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Grand Canyon turned the tight game into a 12-5 blowout at Texas Tech using the decisive 10-run eight innings in the series opener on Friday night at GCU Ballpark.
The damage done at the eighth bottom was substantial. The half inning began with a 2-2 tie at 8:21pm, with Lopez (9-4) gaining a 12-2 advantage over 35 minutes.
The GCU sent 14 batters to the plate, scored seven base hits, recorded 10 runs, faced three different Red Raiders pitchers, saw 56 pitches and had 12 bases that reached 12 consecutive batters.
After outfielders Eddie Perk and Michael Diaz checked in on one hit, sophomore designated batsman Cannon Perry gave Lopez the first lead, bunting the first baseline and narrowly grabbed PELC with close plays at the plate. Troy Sanders, a sophomore 2 baseman, scored a signature hit in the game. This extended the lead to 6-2 and recorded a base clear triple to send Texas Tech (3-9) deep into the bullpen.
It spiraled from there. An error in the third strike that was dropped prevented the second out from being recorded, setting a ignited string of hits, walks and hit batters. Junior shortstop Emilio Barres, junior first bass man Zach Yorke and Perry all knocked the run with bass hits.
The eighth innings began with a GCU strikeout and ended with a double play. But between these two bookends, 12 consecutive batters arrived.
Sophomore right-handed Connor Matison won his first victory of the season in a four-inning relief effort. He didn’t allow him to run in the first three innings, but after a 35 minute wait between the eighth and nine innings he surrendered three runs at the top of the ninth.
Mattison supported junior right-hander Isaac Lyon for five innings, two runs and five strikeouts.
Texas Tech first attacked in the game in singletries in two and five innings.
GCU defeated a scoreless drought in six innings with two runs. Barress led sixth in the double and scored GCU’s first run with a yoke double. Sophomore catcher Marcus Galvan also took a walk on the base to bring the ropes in at 2-2.
Yorke, Barreras and Pelc all recorded multi-hit games.
Back in 2015, GCU has won five of its past seven games against Texas Tech.
Lopez sends sophomore right Garrett Ahern to the hill and tries to win the series at 6pm on Saturday
