Koa Manintin's two-out single in the bottom of the 9^th inning brought Kyo Ohsato home from 2^nd base as the Grand Canyon University Club Baseball team overcame six errors Sunday to defeat the University of California-San Diego, 5-4, in Game 3 of the teams' three-game series. The victory gave the Lopes the series win after splitting the first two games of the National Club Baseball Association Southern Pacific South Conference's opening series Saturday, with the Lopes winning Game 1 easily, 13-3, in five innings before their offense stalled in a 2-1 loss in the nightcap.
 
Game 1 (Saturday):  GCU 13, UCSD 3 (F/5)
 
The Lopes jumped on Tritons' starting pitcher Finn Daecher from the outset, scoring at least two runs in three of the first four innings, and chasing the lefty with a six-run 4^th. Lopes' left fielder Caden Rogers – a transfer from San Diego Mesa College – was Daecher's main Achilles heel, knocking in three runs and scoring twice against the UCSD pitcher, and then knocking in one of three runs the Lopes scored in the 5^th inning to invoke the 10-run mercy rule. Rogers went 3-for-4 overall with a double, two runs scored and four runs batted in, while returning starters Santiago Zuniga and Brady Steenson collected two hits apiece. That was more than enough for Lopes' starting pitcher Gordon Wend, who scattered four hits and three earned runs in going the distance for his first win.
 
Game 2 (Saturday): UCSD 2, GCU 1
 
While both teams scored in the opening inning, Game 2 was a pitching duel from the get-go. The Tritons' pitching combination of Ethan Adamson and Caleb Galdston made things difficult for Lopes' hitters all game long, allowing just three singles (two of them to Manintin), and the Lopes' run came on a sacrifice fly from Sam Ott in the 1^st. Meanwhile, Lopes' starting pitcher Crew Cascaes had to work much harder in his six innings in suffering the loss, allowing eight hits – including two triples – despite facing the minimum number of hitters in three innings. Manintin's second single with two out in the 7^th put the potential tying run aboard, but Arturo Lopez's liner to center field was caught to end the threat.
 
Game 3 (Sunday):  GCU 5, UCSD 4
 
Ott took the hill for the Lopes in his first conference start of the year, and while he only allowed one walk through his five innings of work, he and the Lopes trailed, 2-1, when he headed to the dugout for the final time midway through the 5^th. Ott then helped his own cause in the bottom of the frame as the Lopes strung together four straight hits, with back-to-back doubles from Ohsato and Ott cashing in three runs to give the Lopes a 4-2 edge. The Tritons then used GCU's defense against them, cashing in their 2^nd (in the 6^th) and 3^rd (in the 8^th) unearned runs of the day to tie the score going to the final frame. Lopes' reliever Tyler Soren did his part, striking out the side in the top of the 9^th. In the bottom half, Ohsato drew a walk with one out, stole 2^nd base with two down, then and sprinted home with the game-winning run on Manintin's shot to center field. Ohsato led the charge with three hits (two of them doubles), three RBI, a stolen base and two runs scored, while Zuniga went 2-for-5 with a pair of runs scored and a stolen base. Soren went three innings in relief to get the W, fanning seven UCSD hitters along the way.
 
The Lopes now take a break from conference play with games at Ottawa University and Paradise Valley Community College before their next SoPac South series February 24 and 25 against Arizona State University in Mesa. GCU's next home matchups will happen Monday and Tuesday, March 4 and 5 against Utah State University in a three-game series. First pitch for both Monday's doubleheader and Tuesday's single game will be 10AM at Colter Field, and admission is FREE.