Cougars Close 10-Game Homestand with 4-3 Loss to Grand Canyon

Redshirt senior Julian Russell hit 2-for-4 with a solo home run in CSU's 4-3 defeat to Grand Canyon

Box Score

CHICAGO – The Chicago State baseball team closed out its season-best 10-game homestand here at Cougar Stadium this afternoon against Grand Canyon in the finale of a three-game Western Athletic Conference weekend series with a close 4-3 loss.

GCU opened the game with an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning that included an RBI triple from Tyler Wyatt before redshirt senior Julian Russell (Chicago, Ill./Gordon Tech) blasted a solo home run off Lopes starting pitcher Jack Schneider to left field in the bottom half of the first to slice CSU's deficit to 2-1.

The visitors saw its lead grow to 3-1 in the third inning on an RBI single up the middle from Quin Cotton and also received another run in the fourth when Ian Evans scored on a throwing error to hike its advantage to 4-1.

Junior Jacob Northrup (Phoenix, Ariz./Sahuaro) posted his second home run of the season in the fifth inning as he blasted a solo shot to left field off Schneider to pull the Green and White within 4-2.

The Cougars scored again in the eighth to close the gap to a run at 4-3 when junior Cody Freund (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) lined an RBI double to left center which plated fellow classmate Matt Paciello (Wellington, Fla./Park Vista), who reached base via a single on the previous play.

Russell batted 2-for-4 with a homer and double to lead Chicago State (8-24, 4-5), while Paciello also went 2-for-4 with a scored a run. Junior starter Grant Trower (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Cardinal Gibbons) took the loss after allowing three runs on 10 hits in three innings of work. Sophomore Joe Baier (Suamico, Wis./Bay Port) recorded two strikeouts in the eighth and junior Zach Thomas (Joliet, Ill./Joliet West ) threw a scoreless ninth inning in relief.

GCU was led offensively by Wyatt, who finished the day hitting 3-for-5, and Austin Bull as he hit 3-for-4 at the plate. AJ Franks tallied four strikeouts over 2.2 relief innings to claim the win and Mick Vorhof threw the final two innings to record the save.

Chicago State kicks off a five-game road swing on Tuesday afternoon in the state of Indiana at Valparaiso with a start time of 3 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

#2 Joe Baier: IF/OF/P; 6' 0"; Sophomore; R-R

#9 Cody Freund: C; 5' 11"; Junior; L-R

#1 Julian Russell: IF; 5' 11"; Redshirt Senior; R-R

#44 Zach Thomas: P/OF; 5' 11"; Junior; L-L

#15 Jacob Northrup: C/IF; 5' 10"; Junior; R-R

#24 Grant Trower: P; 6' 0"; Junior; L-L

#34 Matt Paciello: OF; 5' 11"; Junior; R-R

Players Mentioned

#2 Joe Baier
: 6' 0"; Sophomore; R-R
: IF/OF/P

#9 Cody Freund
: 5' 11"; Junior; L-R
: C

#1 Julian Russell
: 5' 11"; Redshirt Senior; R-R
: IF

#44 Zach Thomas
: 5' 11"; Junior; L-L
: P/OF

#15 Jacob Northrup
: 5' 10"; Junior; R-R
: C/IF

#24 Grant Trower
: 6' 0"; Junior; L-L
: P

#34 Matt Paciello
: 5' 11"; Junior; R-R
: OF

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned