Burton's walk-off hit caps rally

Wednesday, March 6

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

6-6

Nevada

7-4

Nevada

Grand Canyon

3/6/2019 10:28:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Lopes score 2 runs in final 2 innings

By: Josh Hauser

Through the first seven innings, promising Grand Canyon innings were thwarted by double-play balls and untimely line-drive outs.

So it only made sense that GCU manufactured two late-game runs out of thin air to come from behind and defeat Nevada 3-2 on a walk-off single by sophomore outfielder Brock Burton on Wednesday night.

The comeback effort culminated with Burton's single through the right side to score sophomore Cuba Bess from third base after the Lopes patiently loaded the bases, working exclusively with two outs.

"I was just trying to keep it as simple as possible, get a good pitch to hit and go from there," Burton said. "I'm just grateful to be in a spot like that to do it for this group of guys. It could have been any one of us."

"...but it was Brock," senior pitcher Nick Ohanian chimed in after picking up his first win of the season.

The Lopes loaded the bases with no outs in the second, stranded a runner in scoring position in the fourth and let leadoff baserunners in the fifth and seventh go wasted. But it was two-out rallies in the third, eighth and ninth innings that pushed GCU to victory.

GCU fell in a 2-0 hole through two innings before junior outfielder Kona Quiggle doubled to key a two-out, third-inning rally that featured a Bess RBI single to get the Lopes on the board.

The Lopes continually knocked on the door throughout the remainder of the game with the pitching staff holding Nevada to a 2-1 edge.

GCU finally broke through, albeit in an unorthodox manner, with time running out in the eighth. Senior second baseman Austin Bull stroked a one-out single down the left field line on what would prove to be the best-hit ball of the inning. Burton hit a bouncing ball up the middle that nicked off the outstretched pitcher's glove for an infield single. In a pinch-hit appearance, freshman Jake Jarvis hit a slow-rolling grounder that he beat out for an infield single.

With the bases loaded, freshman shortstop Jonny Weaver sharply hit a ground ball to shortstop for a fielder's choice out at second base. Weaver, however, used his speed to beat out the throw at first base, preventing an inning-ending double play and earning an RBI that tied the score.

A strikeout and popout got the home-half of the ninth inning off to an inauspicious start until GCU put the wheels in motion. Bess picked up his third hit of the night before senior designated hitter Pikai Winchester was hit by a pitch and Bull drew a walk to load the bases. Burton persevered through a full count before singling through the right side to send GCU home with its third win in four tries.

"The whole inning, they did a nice job of making (Nevada pitchers) throw strikes and not chasing," GCU head coach Andy Stankiewicz said. "That's a good pitching staff. They know how to pitch. Our guys did a nice job of laying off borderline pitches. Brock put a great at bat together. He held his ground and was really disciplined. He put the ball in play and good things happened."

GCU's bullpen was just as key in the victory, holding the Wolf Pack scoreless through the final seven innings. Sophomore Nick Hull, junior Cole Hoskins and Ohanian combined to throw 7 1/3 innings of three-hit baseball with nine combined strikeouts. Ohanian bounced back from an uncharacteristically wild outing on Sunday to throw 2 1/3 hitless innings with five strikeouts.

"Our relievers were outstanding," Stankiewicz said. "Every single one of them came in and put up zeros. You couldn't ask for more out of your relieving corps to keep us in it. Hats off to our relievers. They gave us that opportunity to win a ballgame late."

The Lopes matched their 2018 season low for hits allowed in a mid-week matchup, surrendering just five hits to match a 12-2 win over Kansas on March 20.

A team that has faced the nation's 27th-toughest schedule welcomes in another strong challenge this weekend when Illinois pays a visit. The Lopes and Illini begin a three-game series on Friday at 6:30 p.m.