PHOENIX – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros baseball team, which is receiving votes in the latest NCBWA poll, dropped the finale of a four-game series to the Grand Canyon University Lopes 5-2 on Sunday at Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark.
 
The Vaqueros (9-6, 2-2 WAC) got off to a good start, taking a first inning lead on a ground-rule RBI-double by graduate student Andy Atwood.
 
The Lopes (5-9-1, 2-2 WAC) tied the game against sophomore J.C. Ariza (0-1) in the second on a sacrifice fly by Ryland Zaborowski before taking the lead when Tyler Wilson stole home as part of a double steal.
 
The Lopes extended their lead to 3-1 on a two-out triple by Elijah Buries in the third.
 
The Vaqueros got one back in the fifth on an RBI-double by junior Darian Luper, but Coen Wynne (1-0) came on in relief and pitched 3.2 hitless innings, striking out two.
 
Frankie Scalzo followed with a scoreless ninth for his first save.
 
The Lopes pushed their lead to 4-2 in the fifth when Juan Colato scored on a wild pitch.
 
Just one of the four runs Ariza allowed in 4.0 innings was earned. Graduate student Kevin Palm followed by putting up three zeros before the Lopes scratched across a run on a Colato groundout in the eighth.
 
UTRGV is back in action at No. 19 Texas on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. on Longhorn Network.

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