Lopes earn series split with Sunday win

Sunday, March 14

Phoenix, Ariz.

12 p.m.

Grand Canyon

5-9-1, 2-2

UT Rio Grande Valley

9-6, 2-2

UT Rio Grande Valley

Grand Canyon

3/14/2021 5:14:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Bullpen buckles down in series finale

By: Jerob Moon

The Grand Canyon baseball team earned a series split in the first conference matchup against UT Rio Grande Valley with a 5-2 win on Sunday afternoon at Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark.

The Lopes (5-9-1, 2-2 WAC) scored three runs in the second and third innings and built on the lead with runs in the fifth and eighth as the bullpen locked down for the win.

"That was a nice performance today and we needed it," head coach Andy Stankiewicz. "Every conference game matters from here on out and we had a nice little bounce back win to get the split, we'll take it. I felt like today we did a good job of just getting ones. We got one run and another one, and that's a huge part of what we have to do offensively. Sometimes you sit back and try to do too much, and you get none. We did a nice job today of keeping momentum on our side."

After the Vaqueros (9-6, 2-2 WAC) took the early 1-0 lead the Lopes responded with a two-run second inning without recording a hit. The bases were loaded for designated hitter Ryland Zaborowski after third baseman Elijah Buries reached first on a throwing error, Tyler Wilson walked, and Nick Hansen reached base on a fielder's choice.

Zaborowski scored Buries from third on a sac fly to right field and Wilson advanced to third. Wilson would remain aggressive on the basepaths as the Lopes executed a double steal in the next at bat, scoring Wilson from third after a Josh Buckley strikeout.

Buries would add another run for the Lopes in the third making it a 3-1 GCU lead, with an RBI triple as his hot hitting continued. For the series the freshman went 5-for-11 with 6 RBI's and two extra base hits.

"He's real consistent and he puts together good at-bats," Stankiewicz said. "He has a nice short compact swing, it's just a matter of consistency so that's what he's been able to bring for us day in and day out. He gets the barrel on the ball with consistency and that's one of the things he's showed us since the start of the fall."

In the top of the fifth the GCU bullpen was called on with the bases loaded as Coen Wynne entered with the bases loaded and one out replacing starter Carter Young. Wynne would get out of the jam on just four pitches, a three-pitch strikeout followed up by a flyout to right on the next pitch.

It was just the start of Wynne's great outing as he went 3 1/3 innings with no hits allowed and with two strikeouts on just 43 pitches. The Lopes would add one run in the eighth giving more cushion for closer Frankie Scalzo to earn his first save of the season.

"Coen Wynne what a performance by him," Stankiewicz added. "You're really starting to see start to build some confidence, so we feel like he's a nice guy to go to in the middle of the game if we need him."

The Lopes will now prepare for a second straight WAC series at GCU Ballpark when they welcome Seattle U for four games from March 19-21.