Strikeouts, pitching woes sink OSU in series-opening loss at Grand Canyon
Lopes dismantles OSU's bullpen game as Cowboys suffer 12-8 loss
For most of Thursday night, the home dugout at Brazelle Field drowned out the visitors’.
A sparse attendance didn’t matter. Momentum came at large for the home team, which celebrated frequently while the visitors did so sporadically, and ultimately, too little too late.
OSU dropped its series opener at Grand Canyon 12-8 at GCU Ballpark. And the final score might not have been indicative of how dominant GCU was throughout.
The Lopes (2-2) pranced on OSU the moment of the opening pitch, scoring in five of their eight offensive frames. Simultaneously, their pitching tamed OSU’s offense, as it recorded 15 or more strikeouts for the third time in four games. The Cowboys (1-3) matched GCU’s hit total at 12, but the GCU’s hits were more timely, and came with greater damage.
Here are three takeaways from the game.
Pitching falters in bullpen game
Coach Josh Holliday and pitching coach Blake Hawksworth opted for a bullpen game Thursday.
On paper, that might have been an optimal decision. Save all three weekend starters and slot them into the lineup on full rest.
In the end, however, it came costly.
OSU threw five pitchers. Four of them were lowerclassmen — sophomores or younger.
Freshman right-hander Parker Jennings got the start and was up and down.
He struggled with pitch command, walking two of his first three batters faced. One at-bat later, GCU first baseman Cannon Peery unloaded on a hanging changeup from Jennings, launching it to right field for a three-run homer as the Lopes drew first blood.
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Jennings — 2 Ks, 2 H, 3 BB and 3 ER through 2 IP and 48 TP — flashed good stuff, showcasing a complementary mix of four-seam fastball, curveball and a changeup with wicked movement. But his early command issues largely outweighed his stuff. And his first inning blemishes proved to be too much.
Sophomore lefty Bryce LeBlanc debuted in the bottom of the third. After a swift opening frame, the Lopes pranced on him in the bottom of the fourth.
GCU center fielder regained the lead for the Lopes after a two-out, RBI-double down the left field line. On the following at-bat, third baseman Vince Bianchina broke it open with a two-run bomb to left field.
Sophomore Stormy Rhodes and freshman Zane Burns — both righties — pitched the ensuing two frames, surrendering a combined six hits and five runs. Senior lefty Brennan Philips threw the latter two, surrendering only one run off a two-out, RBI-infield single from GCU pinch-hitter Billy Scaldeferri.
During team media day, Holliday mentioned how his team’s “loaded” opening two weekends slate would battle test it.
Overlooked might have been preparation and pinpointing a pitching plan for a four-week series. It didn’t get any easier coming against a pesky Grand Canyon team that boasted an undefeated mark (2-0) in home series’ against OSU all-time.
The Cowboys have surrendered double-digit run totals three times over its first four games. And the road ahead doesn’t ease up at all.
Cowboys’ strikeout troubles prolong
Over its first three games, OSU struck out a combined 41 times.
Such issues didn’t improve Thursday. Instead, they were enhanced as the Cowboys struck out 15 times against a GCU pitching staff that surrendered 18 runs over its past two games.
GCU started veteran righty JT Guerrero, a transfer from Fresno State, and he dazzled, striking out six. Aidan Lee fanned two more before the Lopes’ standout closer Billy Gregory struck out seven over only three innings of work.
Strikeouts in pivotal moments came costly, too.
Sophomore shortstop Brock Thompson led off the game with a double, only for consecutive strikeouts to set up third baseman Aidan Meola for a non-sacrifice opportunity. Meola flew out to deep right field, and the inning concluded.
In the top of the seventh, trailing 11-5, the Cowboys loaded the bases with two outs. And while they did plate two runs in return, neither came via a big hit — an infield single from catcher Campbell Smithwick and a wild pitch. Another strikeout on the ensuing at-bat stranded two runners in scoring position, deflating any momentum toward an OSU comeback win.
It might be premature to sound the alarms for OSU’s inflated team strikeout total only two weeks in. But it wouldn’t be far-fetched to incorporate any ounce of concern.
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Offense displays signs of progression
While the strikeout total was unideal, a handful of key pieces showed out for the Cowboys.
Smithwick led OSU with a 3-for-5, RBI outing. Thompson logged two hits of his own — both doubles — and has now recorded a hit in each of OSU’s games thus far. And coming off a lengthy offseason of shoulder surgery rehab, Meola appears to be nearing full strength after a two-hit, 3-RBI outing.
The timely hits will come as OSU’s lineup develops. On paper, there’s too much offensive firepower for it to be as one-dimensional as it was a year ago. And if the aforementioned three continue producing the way they have, the offensive product will only improve as the Cowboys’ roster continues to gel.
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