GCU Extends WAC Lead With Series Win Over Bakersfield

Sunday, May 10

Brazell Stadium

12 p.m.

Grand Canyon

30-21, 17-6

Bakersfield

30-19-1, 15-8-1

Bakersfield

Grand Canyon

Greg Saenz delivered a two-out two-run double in the third for GCU on Sunday.

Photo by: Darryl Webb

5/10/2015 2:57:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Lopes take series finale 6-4 over Bakersfield on Senior Day

The Grand Canyon University baseball team took the rubber match of its series with Bakersfield and extended its Western Athletic Conference (WAC) lead to a game and a half Sunday afternoon, knocking off the Roadrunners, 6-4, on Senior Day at Brazell Stadium in Phoenix, Ariz.

GCU honored its seniors (Humberto Aranda, Coley Bruns, Chad De La Guerra, Kai Kealoha, Charles Wagner and David Walker) prior to first pitch. Click here to view photos from Sunday's Senior Day ceremony.

The Antelopes improve to 30-21, 17-6 WAC, while Bakersfield drops to 30-19-1, 15-8-1 WAC.

"We knew coming in that this was going to be a tough series," said head coach Andy Stankiewicz. "They have a great ball club and they are going to keep coming and coming. A win is always rewarding, but when it is such a great team win, it makes even nicer."

Click here to listen to Michael Potter's postgame interview with Greg Saenz.

After Bakersfield took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, the Lopes plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the second, scored three in the third and tacked on one more in the fourth to produce their six runs.

Greg Saenz delivered a two-out two-run double in the third and Paul Panaccione connected on a two-out RBI triple in the fourth to highlight the scoring for GCU.

Jake Repavich (8-2) went the first five, surrendering two earned runs on just three hits. It was a staff-effort out of the pen from there, as Cameron Brendel, Jaren Drummond, Zebastian Valenzuela, Travis Garcia-Perreira and Mick Vorhof all saw action, with Vorhof closing things out in the ninth en route to picking up his fourth save of the season.

"The job that our bullpen did was terrific," said Stankiewicz. "Repavich gave us a solid five and the rest of the guys came in and made some big pitches."

Brian Kraft and Saenz each tallied three hits apiece, while Garrison Schwartz recorded a pair of hits to lead the GCU offense.

The Lopes will close out their 2015 campaign when they head to Sacramento State for a three-game WAC series next weekend. The three-game set will get underway on Thursday in Sacramento, with first pitch slated for 3 p.m. (Arizona Time). The game can be found on radio at KXXT 1010 AM (also via the KXXT TuneIn Radio App), the home of Antelope men's basketball and baseball. Live stats and audio links will be available at www.gculopes.com.

GCU 6, Bakersfield 4