Valiant comeback comes up short at GCU

Saturday, March 8

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m. (CT) / 6 p.m. (MT)

Texas Tech Athletics

3-10

Grand Canyon

10-4

Texas Tech

Grand Canyon

Valiant comeback comes up short at GCU

March 09, 2025 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

The Red Raiders cut a once 7-3 deficit to 7-6 before falling in the ninth

By: Andrew Stern

PHONEIX – Logan Bevis tossed nearly four one-hit innings in middle relief to allow his bats to cut a once 7-3 deficit to 7-6, before Texas Tech baseball lost by that same margin to GCU Saturday night at Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark.

Bevis shined out of the bullpen once again for Texas Tech (3-10), as the USF transfer threw 35 of his 54 pitches for strikes and allowed just the one base hit and no runs. He struck out four and lowered his ERA to 1.12.

The heroics from Bevis out of the pen allowed the Red Raiders to continue to chip away at the deficit, as Tech put the go-ahead run on base in both the eighth and ninth innings, before GCUs (10-4) Walter Quinn stranded the bases loaded in a 7-5 game in the eighth and stranded runners at first and second in the ninth.

The big pitch by Quinn, who earned the save, was a 3-1 fastball on the hands to Robin Villeneuve in the eighth that the first baseman popped up to second.

After falling behind 1-0 just three batters into the bottom of the first and losing starting pitcher Lukas Pirko to injury, Tech turned to reliever Trendan Parish who walked the tightrope in the first to limit the damage to just one.

Following a 1-2-3 inning from Parish, the Tech bats went to work in the top of the third, using a pair of walks and a hit batter to load the bases with one out. Midway through an at-bat to Logan Hughes, GCUs (10-4) Garrett Ahern uncorked a wild pitch that tied the game at one.

Down 1-2 and with a pair of runners in scoring position, Hughes ripped a ball through the shift on the right side of the infield for a two-RBI single that gave Tech its lone lead of the night, at 3-1.

Returning for the third inning, Parish immediately found trouble, as GCU used a pair of singles sandwiched between a strikeout to pull to within 3-2.

After a pair of free passes loaded the bases with one man down, GCU pinch hit Kade Huff, who also worked a walk that tied the game at three-all.

With the bases still loaded and one out, Parish coaxed a high chopper to first. On the play, the Red Raiders recorded an out at second, but the relay to first was not in time to complete the double play, allowing GCU to take a 4-3 lead.

GCU immediately doubled its lead one batter later, when catcher Marcus Galvan singled through the left side for the Lopes fifth run of the night and fourth of the third inning.

Down by a pair in the fourth, Parish retired two of the first three batters of the frame, before allowing a two-run home run to second baseman Eli Paton.

The longball was the final pitch that Parish would throw on the night, as Tech turned to Bevis who need just two pitches to send the game to the fifth.

In the end, Parish allowed six runs (all earned) in his 3.1 innings pitched. He walked three (all in the third) and struck out five. He suffered his second loss of the season.

A man reached second base in both the fifth and sixth for Tech, but GCUs Elijah Higgenbottom was able to strand Villeneuve in scoring position in the fifth and Davis Rivers in scoring position in the sixth. Rivers went 3-for-4 with a walk on Saturday night.

In the seventh, Tech scalded a pair of balls to centerfield, but both resulted in outs, as Higgenbottom was able to retire the side 1-2-3.

Following another perfect 1-2-3 inning from Bevis, the Red Raiders began their comeback effort in the eighth, using a lead-off single, a bunt and another single to place runners on the corners for freshman Kendyl Johnson.

Johnson pulled a ground ball deep into the hole at second base on a 2-1 count for an RBI fielder's choice that brought Tech to within 7-4.

A Kyeler Thompson single through the left side advanced Johnson into scoring position, brought the tying run to the plate and chased Higgenbottom from the game.

With Damian Bravo looming in the on-deck circle, GCU turned to its closer, Quinn. Down in the count, 1-2, Bravo dunked a single into right-center that scored Johnson from second and placed Thompson on first.

After a walk to Antonelli Savattere loaded the bases with two outs, Quinn was able to coax the popup to first to end the threat.

Following a scoreless eighth by JT Drake, Tech used a one-out double from Rivers to once again bring the tying run to the plate. Down to its final out after a TJ Pompey flyout advanced Rivers to third, the Red Raiders pulled to within 7-6 on an RBI infield hit from Tracer Lopez.

Batting as the go-ahead run and with Lopez on second after a stolen base, Thompson groundout to shortstop for the final out of the ballgame.

UP NEXT:
The Red Raiders will turn to junior Zane Petty and try and salvage the third and final game of the weekend on Sunday afternoon. First pitch from Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark is set for 3 p.m. (CT)/1 p.m. (PST)