Lopes open series with 6th straight WAC win

Thursday, April 1

Orem, Utah

5 p.m.

Grand Canyon

12-12-1, 7-2

Utah Valley

4-17, 2-7

Grand Canyon

Utah Valley

4/1/2021 9:15:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Top 3 in GCU lineup combine for 7 hits as Lopes cruise

By: Josh Hauser

OREM, Utah — The top of Grand Canyon's batting order combined for seven hits as the Lopes cruised to an 8-2 series-opening win at Utah Valley on Thursday night. GCU extended its WAC winning streak to six games.

The Lopes' 13-hit output tied for their second-most hits in a game this season. Senior shortstop Channy Ortiz led the way with a three-hit game, including his second home run of the season.

"I think we're all playing really good both pitching-wise and hitting-wise," Ortiz said. "We're definitely playing really good baseball right now."

As good as GCU's offense looked, Lopes head coach Andy Stankiewicz credited his defense for coming up big in key spots to help limit Utah Valley to just two runs on the evening.

"We got some good swings out, but I'm mostly encouraged by the defense," Stankiewicz said. "I'm really encouraged by the way we played defense tonight more than anything else."

Two of the bigger defensive moments from the Lopes (12-12-1, 7-2 WAC) directly kept runs from scoring. The Wolverines' second batter of the game was hit by a pitch and then attempted to score on a double to the left-center field gap. But the ball was cut off by senior center fielder Brock Burton, relayed to Ortiz and thrown home to senior catcher David Avitia to nab the runner easily and end the inning.

Fast forward to the seventh, Utah Valley was threatening to have a big inning with the bases loaded, one out and one run already scored. A line drive zipped over to junior first baseman Nick Hansen, a late-game defensive sub who laid out to make the catch and help limit the Wolverines to a single run.

"That relay home, that was big," Stankiewcz said. "That's a swing play. It kept the momentum in our dugout. Hansen made a great diving play with the bases loaded. That's huge. If that ball gets into the outfield, the whole look of this game changes quickly."

GCU now has beat its opponent to the scoring punch in five consecutive games, jumping on Utah Valley for a run in the first. Freshman third baseman Elijah Buries reached on a single and scored on a sacrifice fly by senior second baseman Juan Colato.

Utah Valley matched GCU's early run with a solo homer in the bottom of the second before the Lopes began to pull away.

Colato drew a two-out walk in the third inning and scored on a wild pitch to give the Lopes the lead back. In the fourth, freshman left fielder Cade Verdusco legged out an infield single before Ortiz smashed a no-doubt home run over the right-field wall.

"During batting practice, we were working all the way away," Ortiz said. "I just got a pitch inside to put a good swing on it. Whenever you hit a home run, you feel good going up to the plate with a lot of confidence. I think that was big factor for me."

Ortiz ended his day with three hits, two RBIs, two runs and a walk.

"We had some nice at bats," Stankiewicz said. "Channy had a nice day with a bat. He's really matured and understands what he wants to do and what he can do. That's a great job by him, just an all-around day."

Lopes freshman first baseman Ryland Zaborowski coaxed a bases-loaded walk to add another run in the fourth.

GCU kept playing add-on with single-run tallies in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Freshman designated hitter Tyler Wilson doubled in a run in the sixth. Burton capped off a string of three straight singles to plate a run in the seventh. Hansen reached on a walk and scored on a wild pitch in the eighth.

Senior right-hander Zach Barnes was efficient for the Lopes in picking up his third win of the season. He held Utah Valley to one run through six innings before losing some of his control to start the seventh. Behind Hansen's diving grab and another effective relief outing by freshman right-hander Jack Slominski, GCU prevented a late Utah Valley rally.

For the second time in as many weeks, Slominski tossed three scoreless relief frames in a series opener. This one had his first career save attached, with just one hit and one walk allowed in the process.

Despite the comfortable winning margin, it could have been even greater with the Lopes stranding 15 runners on the basepaths for their most since March 24, 2018, in a 13-5 win at Chicago State.

"We have to have more of a killer instinct in those moments," Stankiewicz said. "I'm proud of the way we swung it, but I do feel like we let some at bats slip away."

The teams return to UCCU Ballpark for a Friday doubleheader starting at noon (Phoenix time).