Cal Poly Shuts Out Grand Canyon 7-0 in Series Opener

Friday, March 11

Phoenix, AZ

6 pm

11-3

Grand Canyon

8-5

Cal Poly

Grand Canyon

Cal Poly Shuts Out Grand Canyon 7-0 in Series Opener

3/11/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Sophomore left-hander Kyle Smith earned his second complete-game victory and freshman center fielder Alex McKenna singled three times as Cal Poly defeated Grand Canyon 7-0 in the opener of a three-game baseball series Friday night in Brazell Stadium.

Freshman second baseman Kyle Marinconz smashed a three-run double to break the game open in the seventh inning and junior third baseman Michael Sanderson contributed two hits and one RBI.

With the win, Cal Poly improved to 11-3 on the year. Grand Canyon fell to 8-5.

Smith (2-1) pitched a five-hit shutout with no walks and six strikeouts. Grand Canyon had one baserunner in each of the first five innings but just one the rest of the way on a hit batsman.

Cal Poly scored three times in the first inning and broke the game open with Marinconz's three-run double in the seventh.

Junior first baseman Brett Barbier doubled to knock in the first run of the game. Sanderson's single made it 2-0 and a dropped throw at first base on a pickoff play allowed the third run to score.

Cal Poly was held quiet the next five innings before Marinconz gave the Mustangs some breathing room in the seventh. The Mustangs added another run in the eighth on an RBI single by freshman catcher Nick Meyer.

Grand Canyon's five hits included two singles by first baseman Greg Saenz.

The loss went to Grand Canyon senior right-hander Jorge Perez (0-3) as he allowed three runs (two earned) and six hits over six innings.

Second game of the series will be played Saturday night at 6 PST with freshman right-hander Cam Schneider on the mound for the Mustangs. The series finale is set for Sunday at noon.