Box Score

SAN BERNARDINO — While Cal State San Bernardino has locked up a CCAA Tournament berth and is currently second in the conference, CSUSB may be skating on thin ice after dropping a 5-3 game to Grand Canyon, Thursday.

The Coyotes (28-15) are sitting at No. 4 in the latest NCAA Division II West Region Poll. Another loss to the Antelopes (28-23) would definitely hurt CSUSB's chances to stay right where they are and help another West Region foe get a chance to move up.

The Coyotes looked out of sync from the opening pitch. Grand Canyon needed just two batters to get on the board to jump out 1-0 on a Tyler Blair double down the left line. Joe Jacobson and Danny Bethea each singled down the right field line to push two more across for the Antelopes to give them a 3-0 lead.

The offense came to life for the Coyotes in the fourth when Bryant Veiga smashed a lead off home run to left for his eighth of the year before Brent Planck hit his second of the year with a shot to left field to knot the contest at 3-3.

Colin Courtland put it away though with a solo home run to center to put GCU up 4-3 in the sixth just a few batters before Billy Schroder put the Lopes up 5-3 with an insurance run on a single through the left side.

Aaron Brooks (6-2) lost his first game since the season opener, allowing four earned runs on eight hits in six innings of work. Lucas Sanford allowed just four hits in three innings of relief.

Ethan Chapman went 3-for-5 while Ryan Hulbert went 2-for-3 with a run scored. Veiga drove in a run and scored a run while going 2-for-4.

The Coyotes square off again against Grand Canyon tomorrow at 2 p.m. in the final game of the regular season at Fiscalini Field.