Seven arms combine for 6-1 win

Wednesday, April 18

Phoenix, Ariz.

2 p.m.

Grand Canyon

20-16

UC Riverside

14-17

UC Riverside

Grand Canyon

4/18/2018 6:00:00 PM | Baseball

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Lopes score four runs to cushion lead late

By: Josh Hauser

PHOENIX - Grand Canyon used seven pitchers to limit UC Riverside to one ninth-inning run on six hits as the Lopes took the mid-week game 6-1 on Wednesday afternoon at Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark.

The GCU (20-16) pitching staff has now limited its opponents to one run on seven hits over its last two ballgames.

"They're getting better. I thought they competed well," pitching coach Rich Dorman said of the staff. "Our focus was good, execution was good, conviction was good. We're trending in the right direction. It's where you want to be this time of the year."

Drew Zmuda got the start and Hayden Udall followed behind him. Both freshmen pitched 2.0 scoreless innings. Zmuda was making his seventh collegiate appearance and Udall his sixth.

"Those guys do work. They've been working hard every day in their throwing program," Dorman said. "It's good for them to get out here compete and feel that excitement and that nervous energy. I want to see their development. I don't expect perfect zeros, I just want to see improvement from their last outing."

Thanks to a two-run third inning by the GCU offense, Udall was the winning pitcher for the first time collegiately. The right-hander allowed just one hit in his two innings, retiring six of the seven UC Riverside (14-17) batters he faced.

"I was ready for my opportunity. Whenever you get your chance, you have to do what you can do and stay within yourself," Udall said. "We have a lot of upperclassmen here. They're great role models. Watching them pitch on the mound, you can learn a lot just by watching and how they carry themselves."

Tyler Wyatt had a part in GCU's first three runs of the day. In the third inning, he hit a two-out single to left field to drive in a run. He then advanced from first to second on a stolen base which drew a throw and allowed Ian Evans to waltz home from third base.

The 2-0 GCU lead remained for the middle parts of the game before Wyatt hit another RBI single to left, upping the lead to 3-0.

Austin Bull and Kona Quiggle each hit run-scoring doubles in the eighth to break the game open.

Despite not entering the game until the seventh, Bull finished 2-for-2 with two doubles and two RBIs. It was the 24th and 25th doubles of Bull's career, yet the first time that multiple doubles came in the same game.

"I'll take the doubles," Bull said. "I was just trying to be ready to come in if I had to. As a pinch-hitter you can watch the game and see if they have any patterns -- you kind of just get a feel. I had a feel going in there of what I was going to get, and it worked out."

GCU was zeroing in on back-to-back shutout wins for the first time since May 2016, but the Highlanders struck for one late run to make it a 6-1 game.

Nick Hull threw a scoreless fifth inning for GCU before the Lopes' normal complement of bullpen pitchers kicked in. Jeramy Smith, Josh Andrews and Nick Ohanian each threw one scoreless inning -- Smith striking out all three batters he faced.

The Lopes have now won nine of their last 10 games at home but will head out onto the road for the weekend. GCU will take on Illinois, a break from conference action. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. MST on Friday.