GCU Falls to Arizona in Offensive Battle To Open NCAA Regional
TUCSON, Ariz. - Playing in their first NCAA Regional, the Grand Canyon Lopes scored a pair of runs in both the first and second innings before the fifth-seeded Arizona Wildcats stormed back to take the xxxx win on Friday night in Tucson.
The Lopes immediately began chasing Arizona starter Chase Silseth in the top of the first as Cade Verdusco doubled down the right field line to score Jacob Wilson from third. Tyler Wilson then followed that up with an RBI single to the shortstop that scored Elijah Buries to make it 2-0.
GCU added two more in the top of the second as Brock Burton singled through the right side to score David Avitia from first and then came in to score himself on a double by Jacob Wilson.
The Wildcats got on the board with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second and after a single run in the third, Arizona tied the game in the bottom of the fourth before taking the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth.
After Arizona scored an insurance run in the seventh, the Lopes crossed the plate again in the top of the eighth on a double by Jonny Weaver to score Tayler Aguilar and then Channy Ortiz singled to center field to score Weaver and pull GCU back within a run at 7-6.
The game would tilt back the Wildcats' direction in the bottom of the eight as UA put up five runs to pull ahead 12-6 and put the game out of reach.
With the loss, the Lopes will play an elimination game on Saturday afternoon against Oklahoma State. GCU and OSU played earlier this season with the Cowboys earning a pair of wins in Stillwater before playing to a travel-curfew-forced tie in the series finale. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. PT on ESPN3.