Baseball Swept on Opening Day at Grand Canyon

Game One

Game Two

PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Montana State Billings baseball team dropped both of its games on opening day of the 2010 season at Grand Canyon University Wednesday afternoon.  GCU opened the four game series with a 4-2 win in the bottom of the seventh on a walk-off two run home run and cruised in the nightcap to a 19-4 victory.

“I thought in the first game we played well and had our chances and we just couldn’t shut the door,” head coach Chris Brown said.  “In the second game, played like a team that hadn’t been outside.”

In the opener, the Yellowjackets (0-2) took the early lead courtesy of some small ball as Ty Sobieraj opened the frame with a single to right.  He then advanced to second on a balk by Jeff Urlaub.  Brian Dukart grounded out to third for a sacrifice bunt advancing Sobieraj to third.  Jeff Ridgeway grounded out to short as Sobieraj scored for a 1-0 lead.

The ‘Lopes tied the game in the fifth inning on a solo home run by Joey Bristyan coming off Yellowjacket starter, Archie Smith.  Smith went five innings for the no decision and allowing six hits one earned run, one walk and three strikeouts.

The Yellowjackets regained the lead in the sixth after Dukart led off the inning with a single to left.  Ridgeway followed with a sacrifice bunt and Yellowjacket newcomer, Jaret Chatwood, singled to right plating Dukart on an error by the right fielder for a 2-1 score.

GCU (8-6) again had the answer in the bottom of the frame as MSUB reliever Cody Clark came into pitch.  A walk and a sacrifice bunt put a runner in scoring position as Billy Schroeder singled to center field scoring the equalizer with two outs.

The Yellowjackets went down in order in the top of the seventh tied 2-2 as GCU put two on with two outs and Colin Courtland belted a two run homer to left center for the walk-off game winner and a 4-2 score.

MSUB had four players with hits in the opener.  Clark (0-1) went 1.2 innings, allowing two hits, three earned runs, two walks and two strikeouts.  Cody Repenning (1-0) earns the victory in relief.  MSUB had four players each with one hit, while Courland led the way for GCU going 2 for 4 with two RBI and a run scored.

GCU came out on fire in the nightcap, plating 13 runs in the first two innings as MSUB committed three costly errors in those two innings leading to nine unearned runs.  Yellowjacket starter, Brian Howe, went 1.2 innings in the losing effort allowing six hits, 11 runs – four earned, four walks and three strikeouts.

The Yellowjackets got on the board in the third inning scoring three runs for a 13-3 score in what had the makings of a big inning.  Ridgeway doubled to left after a Patch Wirtzberger walk to score the first run.  Matt Schoonover laced a RBI single to right, scoring Ridgeway and Jonathon Crews drew a bases loaded walk for the third run of the inning.  Chris Stine had a chance to continue the inning, but fanned to end the threat.

The Lopes scored another run in the bottom of the frame and also left the bases loaded.  MSUB left 10 men on base for the game and GCU left nine.

Five more runs came across for GCU in the sixth for a 19-3 score.  MSUB scored one run in the seventh on a Kevin Zukaitis pinch hit home run for a 19-4 score.

Schoonover went 2 for 4 with a run scored and a RBI, while Wirtzberger was 2 for 2.

MSUB will look to rebound tomorrow at 3 p.m. with the final doubleheader of the series.   

Photo by Tim Koors