Upcoming Event: Baseball versus MLB Desert Invitational on February 13, 2026
Baseball
vs MLB Desert Invitational
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Saturday, April 17
Las Cruces, N.M.
12 p.m.
Grand Canyon
20-14-1, 0
4
at
2
New Mexico State
11-19, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Grand Canyon
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
7
0
New Mexico State
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
2
5
0
GCU clinches series with doubleheader sweep
4/17/2021 6:55:00 PM | Baseball
Ohl, McCarville turn in dominant starts at NMSU; Lopes run win streak to 7
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — For the second straight Saturday, Grand Canyon had the benefit of dominant starting pitching from Pierson Ohl and Dawson McCarville to sweep a doubleheader. The Lopes topped New Mexico State 4-2 and 3-1 to clinch the series and match their longest Division I winning streak at seven games.
GCU (21-14-1, 15-4 WAC) became the first team to hold New Mexico State (11-20, 9-10 WAC) to two or fewer runs in back-to-back home games since the Lopes also did it in 2017. GCU also matched the 1994 club's 21-14-1 record for the best record through 36 games in its D-I history.
"This is not an easy place to pitch," GCU head coach Andy Stankiewicz said. "It's not easy and New Mexico State can swing it. I'm really excited about the job the pitchers did today."
Following the two victories, the Lopes sit alone atop the conference standings. GCU has won seven straight games for only the fourth time in its 16 D-I seasons. The Lopes will look for their first eight-game win streak in Sunday's series finale at New Mexico State.
"Pierson Ohl wants the ball in his hand," Stankiewicz said after the junior matched his season high with 107 pitches. "He didn't want to come out of the game. He just competes. He did it again today. That complete game, that's big. That puts our bullpen in a good spot for tomorrow."
Lopes sophomore right fielder Tayler Aguilar hit a three-run home run to dead center field to extend GCU's lead to 4-0 less than 10 minutes into the game. In front of Aguilar's fourth home run of the season, senior shortstop Channy Ortiz opened the game with a walk before back-to-back singles from junior left fielder Juan Colato and freshman designated hitter Tyler Wilson, who knocked in Ortiz for a 1-0 lead.
Staked to a 4-0 lead, Ohl cruised through seven innings. After setting his career high with 11 strikeouts last weekend, Ohl matched it with 11 more against the Aggies while surrendering two runs on five hits. Ohl became GCU's first pitcher to have multiple outings of 11 or more strikeouts in the same season since Jeff Swanson in 2004.
GCU's three-hit first inning was followed up by just four hits the rest of the way. But it was more than enough for Ohl, who improved to 5-1.
McCarville added seven more innings to his running total of 23 straight scoreless innings. The senior limited the Aggies to five hits while striking out seven.
"Dawson was terrific, just pounding the zone," Stankiewicz said. "He's gaining more and more confidence every time out. That's what he came here to do. We're excited for him because it hasn't come easy. He's taken advantage of an opportunity. He's shown us that he wants the ball in his hand and he wants to be a starter.
"Props to him because he's doing what he knows what he can do and what he's capable of doing. When his fastball is down in the zone and it's sinking like that and mixing in a good slider, he's tough."
In the few instances when McCarville faced trouble, GCU's defense came up big. The Lopes matched a season high with three double plays, ending the first and third innings while crippling a seventh-inning threat.
The Lopes also nailed a runner at home plate to end the second inning. A two-out base hit to left was collected by Colato and relayed to freshman third baseman Jacob Wilson, who seamlessly turned and threw to sophomore catcher Josh Buckley for the tag at the plate.
"That was a great play," Stankiewicz said. "Colato did a good job of getting on it and getting it into Jacob. Jacob read it and he had a play at home plate and turned and fired. That was a huge play.
"That's got to be our M.O. We have to play great defense. It's kind of exciting to see the guys get excited when a runner gets on first base and say, 'Well, OK. It's double play time. Let's get a ground ball. Let's turn a double play.' That's part of momentum on defense, getting excited about those moments. And when they happen, you're ready for them and you can take advantage of it."
GCU scored in the first after Ortiz reached on an error and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
The Lopes quickly extended their lead with two more runs in the second. Freshman outfielder Cade Verdusco and Buckley strung together singles and moved into scoring position on an errant pickoff attempt. Junior second baseman Jonny Weaver drove both runners in on a double to left that chopped off the infield turf and over the Aggies third baseman.
All seven GCU hits came from the bottom three spots in the order with Verdusco, Buckley and Weaver.
GCU (21-14-1, 15-4 WAC) became the first team to hold New Mexico State (11-20, 9-10 WAC) to two or fewer runs in back-to-back home games since the Lopes also did it in 2017. GCU also matched the 1994 club's 21-14-1 record for the best record through 36 games in its D-I history.
"This is not an easy place to pitch," GCU head coach Andy Stankiewicz said. "It's not easy and New Mexico State can swing it. I'm really excited about the job the pitchers did today."
Following the two victories, the Lopes sit alone atop the conference standings. GCU has won seven straight games for only the fourth time in its 16 D-I seasons. The Lopes will look for their first eight-game win streak in Sunday's series finale at New Mexico State.
Game 1
GCU's four-run first inning proved to be enough behind Ohl's fourth consecutive complete-game victory in conference play. The Lopes opened the doubleheader with a 4-2 victory."Pierson Ohl wants the ball in his hand," Stankiewicz said after the junior matched his season high with 107 pitches. "He didn't want to come out of the game. He just competes. He did it again today. That complete game, that's big. That puts our bullpen in a good spot for tomorrow."
Lopes sophomore right fielder Tayler Aguilar hit a three-run home run to dead center field to extend GCU's lead to 4-0 less than 10 minutes into the game. In front of Aguilar's fourth home run of the season, senior shortstop Channy Ortiz opened the game with a walk before back-to-back singles from junior left fielder Juan Colato and freshman designated hitter Tyler Wilson, who knocked in Ortiz for a 1-0 lead.
Top 1 | DEAD. CENTER. @taybam34 has the Lopes up 4-0 on his three-run bomb. 💣 #LopesUp pic.twitter.com/ltL0wH4TM2
— GCU Baseball (@GCU_Baseball) April 17, 2021
Staked to a 4-0 lead, Ohl cruised through seven innings. After setting his career high with 11 strikeouts last weekend, Ohl matched it with 11 more against the Aggies while surrendering two runs on five hits. Ohl became GCU's first pitcher to have multiple outings of 11 or more strikeouts in the same season since Jeff Swanson in 2004.
GCU's three-hit first inning was followed up by just four hits the rest of the way. But it was more than enough for Ohl, who improved to 5-1.
Game 2
Again, it was a story of early offense and strong pitching as GCU wrapped up a doubleheader sweep at NMSU with a 3-1 win in the nightcap.McCarville added seven more innings to his running total of 23 straight scoreless innings. The senior limited the Aggies to five hits while striking out seven.
"Dawson was terrific, just pounding the zone," Stankiewicz said. "He's gaining more and more confidence every time out. That's what he came here to do. We're excited for him because it hasn't come easy. He's taken advantage of an opportunity. He's shown us that he wants the ball in his hand and he wants to be a starter.
"Props to him because he's doing what he knows what he can do and what he's capable of doing. When his fastball is down in the zone and it's sinking like that and mixing in a good slider, he's tough."
In the few instances when McCarville faced trouble, GCU's defense came up big. The Lopes matched a season high with three double plays, ending the first and third innings while crippling a seventh-inning threat.
The Lopes also nailed a runner at home plate to end the second inning. A two-out base hit to left was collected by Colato and relayed to freshman third baseman Jacob Wilson, who seamlessly turned and threw to sophomore catcher Josh Buckley for the tag at the plate.
"That was a great play," Stankiewicz said. "Colato did a good job of getting on it and getting it into Jacob. Jacob read it and he had a play at home plate and turned and fired. That was a huge play.
Bot 2 | GOT HIM! Colato to Wilson to Buckley to keep the Aggies off the scoreboard. #LopesUp
— GCU Baseball (@GCU_Baseball) April 17, 2021
GCU 3, NMSU 0 pic.twitter.com/f0dnQKir3T
"That's got to be our M.O. We have to play great defense. It's kind of exciting to see the guys get excited when a runner gets on first base and say, 'Well, OK. It's double play time. Let's get a ground ball. Let's turn a double play.' That's part of momentum on defense, getting excited about those moments. And when they happen, you're ready for them and you can take advantage of it."
GCU scored in the first after Ortiz reached on an error and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
The Lopes quickly extended their lead with two more runs in the second. Freshman outfielder Cade Verdusco and Buckley strung together singles and moved into scoring position on an errant pickoff attempt. Junior second baseman Jonny Weaver drove both runners in on a double to left that chopped off the infield turf and over the Aggies third baseman.
All seven GCU hits came from the bottom three spots in the order with Verdusco, Buckley and Weaver.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ohl, Pierson (5-1)
L: Jefferson, Chris (4-4)
Batting:
HR: Aguilar, Tayler 1
RBI: Wilson, Tyler 1 ; Aguilar, Tayler 3
SH: Colato, Juan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ortiz, Channy 1 ; Colato, Juan 1 ; Wilson, Tyler 1 ; Aguilar, Tayler 1
Batting:
2B: Mann, Ethan 1
HR: Haupt, Noah 1
RBI: Mann, Ethan 1 ; Haupt, Noah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jimenez, Kevin 1 ; Haupt, Noah 1
CS: Saenz, Zerek 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
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