Upcoming Event: Baseball versus MLB Desert Invitational on February 13, 2026
Baseball
vs MLB Desert Invitational
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Friday, March 8
Phoenix, Ariz.
6:30 p.m.
Grand Canyon
6-7
3
vs
6
Illinois
8-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Illinois
0
0
1
3
0
1
0
0
1
6
8
0
Grand Canyon
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
3
3
0
Late charge falls short
3/8/2019 9:17:00 PM | Baseball
GCU breaks up Illini no-hitter in 8th
A three-run home run by junior first baseman Kona Quiggle gave Grand Canyon late life, but the Lopes fell to Illinois 6-3 in the series opener at GCU Ballpark on Friday night.
Senior third baseman Tyler Wyatt broke up a no-hit bid in the eighth inning, igniting a three-run inning for the Lopes (6-7).
Once Wyatt had reached, senior second baseman Austin Bull came through with a one-out bloop single to left field. Quiggle followed with a two-out, no-doubt home run to right-center field to narrow Illinois' lead to 5-3.
Illinois (8-3) rode the arm of senior left-hander Andy Fisher and the bat of senior outfielder Jack Yalowitz to victory. Fisher worked seven scoreless and hitless innings before allowing the leadoff single to Wyatt to begin the eighth. Yalowitz gave the Lopes problems, finishing 4 for 4 with a double, two homers and five RBIs.
GCU junior Kade Mechals worked six innings and gave up only four hits but also allowed four walks. In his fourth Division I outing, Mechals lost for the first time.
In three combined innings of relief, GCU pitchers Zach Barnes, Brodie Cooper-Vassalakis and Coen Wynne limited the Illini to one run.
The Lopes will send freshman pitcher Pierson Ohl to the hill in Saturday's second game, looking to even the series. First pitch with the Illini is set for 2 p.m.
Senior third baseman Tyler Wyatt broke up a no-hit bid in the eighth inning, igniting a three-run inning for the Lopes (6-7).
Once Wyatt had reached, senior second baseman Austin Bull came through with a one-out bloop single to left field. Quiggle followed with a two-out, no-doubt home run to right-center field to narrow Illinois' lead to 5-3.
Illinois (8-3) rode the arm of senior left-hander Andy Fisher and the bat of senior outfielder Jack Yalowitz to victory. Fisher worked seven scoreless and hitless innings before allowing the leadoff single to Wyatt to begin the eighth. Yalowitz gave the Lopes problems, finishing 4 for 4 with a double, two homers and five RBIs.
GCU junior Kade Mechals worked six innings and gave up only four hits but also allowed four walks. In his fourth Division I outing, Mechals lost for the first time.
In three combined innings of relief, GCU pitchers Zach Barnes, Brodie Cooper-Vassalakis and Coen Wynne limited the Illini to one run.
The Lopes will send freshman pitcher Pierson Ohl to the hill in Saturday's second game, looking to even the series. First pitch with the Illini is set for 2 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Fisher, Andy (2-1)
L: Mechals, Kade (3-1)
S: Acton, Garrett (4)
Batting:
2B: Yalowitz, Jack 1
HR: Yalowitz, Jack 2
RBI: Sarver, Kellen 1 ; Yalowitz, Jack 5
SH: Troike, Ben 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Massey, Michael 1 ; Taylor, Zac 2 ; Sarver, Kellen 1 ; Yalowitz, Jack 2
SB: Taylor, Zac 2 ; Michalak, Michael 1
HBP: Campbell, Jacob 1
Batting:
HR: Quiggle, Kona 1
RBI: Quiggle, Kona 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Quiggle, Kona 1 ; Wyatt, Tyler 1 ; Bull, Austin 1
CS: Bull, Austin 1
HBP: Burton, Brock 1
PO: Bull, Austin 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ BaseballUTIL
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball❌ 𝐧𝐨 𝐟𝐥𝐲 𝐳𝐨𝐧𝐞 ❌ Max Charles' diving grab
Friday, November 14
Dom goes DEEP at ASU in fall ball
Friday, November 14
GCU Baseball - WAC Tournament vs. Utah Tech - Highlights
Thursday, May 22
Baseball at Stanford - Barreras' game-winning double
Saturday, May 10