PHOENIX – Texan Baseball dropped the second game of the series to head into Game 3 at 1-1.
Tarleton State (11-9, 2-3 WAC) gave Game 2 to Grand Canyon (10-8, 4-2 WAC) after a home run from the Lopes in the bottom of the ninth called for a 10th inning, ultimately favoring the home team with a 5-4 final.
Matt Haley took the mound to get the Texans rolling, giving up three runs on five hits, one walk and four strikeouts in 4.0 innings on the bump.
Jack Driskell (L, 1-1) threw the final pitches for the visitors giving up one run on three hits, no walks and one strikeout in 1.1 innings pitched.
Carter Young had the start for the Lopes with 6.0 innings pitched, giving up four runs on four hits, three walks and nine strikeouts. Nathan Ward got his first win for GCU with no runs on no hits, two walks and one strikeout in 1.0 inning on the mound.
Tarleton State compiled four runs on four hits, with a homer from
Cris Enriquez and a double from
Mason Hammonds.
GCU totaled five runs on 12 hits, three doubles, one home run and two stolen bases.
The Texans came out hot with a double from Hammonds to see the first runner on for Tarleton State. Enriquez continued his hot streak at the plate from Friday with a two-RBI homer over the right field wall for his first bomb of the 2024 season, putting the visitors on the board early.
The next three innings went scoreless until the Lopes offense got to work with a trio of runs to take the lead in the bottom of the fourth. The leadoff hitter for the inning ripped a double to left center to put the first runner on for the home team. A single to left field followed by a single to the pitcher made way for GCU to tally their first run. Another run came in on a fly out and the final run of the inning was scored on a wild pitch.
In the top of the sixth, a pair of outs came from the first two batters for Tarleton State, but the home team's pitcher evened it out for the Texans with a pair of walks. With two runners on,
Trace Morrison singled to right center to see a couple of runs come in with Miears and Enriquez crossing home plate to give the visitors the lead at 4-3.
Grand Canyon forced extra innings after a homer from the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game at 4-4.
The top of the 10th started with
Ike Shirey at first on a walk and a sacrifice bunt from
Tyson Drake to advance Shirey into scoring position. Hammonds flied out to centerfield to put Shirey at third and
Austin Russell walked to see a pair of runners on for Tarleton State. A strikeout looking closed out the inning with two runners left on and one in scoring position.
The bottom of the 10th saw a pair of outs but a single to the pitcher saw one runner on for the Lopes. A double to left center brought in the game winning run for GCU to tally a 5-4 final.
The rubber match will begin Sunday at 1 p.m. CT.
