Wolves, 'Lopes Split Baseball Doubleheader

8th inning rally gives hosts win in first game, WOU bats do damage in nightcap

Brazell Stadium in Phoenix Photo Courtesy: grand-canyon.edu

(Phoenix,AZ) - Grand Canyon scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to rally for a 9-7 victory in game one, but Western Oregon rapped 13 hits in the second contest to roll to a 10-3 victory in baseball doubleheader action on Saturday afternoon at Brazell Stadium in Phoenix.

The win for the Lopes snapped a four-game losing streak, and they leave the day with a 6-8 mark. Western Oregon moves to 4-3 on the season. The teams will wrap up a four-game series with a Sunday single contest at noon.

In the day`s opener, Grand Canyon carried a 4-0 lead into the top of the seventh inning, before WOU erupted for five runs to go up 5-4. The Wolves added two more runs in the eighth to seemingly lead by a comfortable 7-4 margin. But GCU used a monster eighth of its own, pushing five runs across the plate to regain the lead at 9-7. Closer Matt Michael then put the Wolves down in order in the ninth with three consecutive strikeouts to pick up his fourth save of the year.

Paul Fisher, Matt Skundrick and Boo Christenson all had two hits each for WOU in the first game. Andrew Renyer pitched four solid innings of relief, allowing only two hits and no earned runs.

In the second game, the Wolves bashed 13 hits in the seven inning contest, four by Travis Coursey. Coursey also hit his second home run of the season and drove in three runs. Skundrick and Christenson again had two hits each to help pace the WOU attack.

Ben Shivers went five innings on the mound to pick up the win, allowing six hits but only one earned run. He fanned two and walked two.

Jacob Hanna and Brian Smith each had four hits and a home run on the day to lead the ?Lopes.