Lopes and Wolverines split doubleheader

Friday, April 2

Orem, Utah

12 p.m.

Grand Canyon

13-12-1, 8-2

Utah Valley

4-18, 2-8

Grand Canyon

Utah Valley

4/2/2021 6:00:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GCU uses timely hits to win Game 1; surrenders big inning in Game 2

By: Josh Hauser

OREM, Utah — Grand Canyon and Utah Valley split a Friday doubleheader at UCCU Ballpark with the Lopes winning the first game 4-1 before falling in the nightcap 4-3.

GCU leads the series 2-1 and will look to secure a series victory in the finale on Saturday at 11 a.m. (Phoenix time).

Game 1

The Lopes gave up a second-inning solo home run to trail 1-0. Through four innings, Utah Valley starting pitcher Nick Sims had used just 41 pitches, surrendered only one hit, not allowed a run, and faced only one over the minimum.

The tables turned in the fifth inning, when Lopes sophomore right fielder Tayler Aguilar singled and advanced to second on a misplayed ball in the outfield. A sacrifice bunt by junior first baseman Nick Hansen was also misplayed, leading to a two-run double by freshman designated hitter Tyler Wilson for the Lopes' first lead.

In the sixth inning and facing a Utah Valley reliever for the first time, freshman third baseman Elijah Buries and senior center fielder Brock Burton drew inning-opening walks. The second key hit came courtesy of Aguilar, who hit a triple to right field after a desperation diving catch attempt failed. Burton and Buries scored to reach the game's final margin of 4-1.

"I'm really pleased with Game 1," GCU head coach Andy Stankiewicz said. "We didn't get off real well early, but we had some good at bats to get back in it and take the lead. We felt good about the first one."

GCU junior starting pitcher Pierson Ohl needed only 81 pitches to post his second complete game of the season. The right-hander struck out seven, walked no one and allowed just three hits.

"Pierson did a great job," Stankiewicz said. "When you talk about shutdown innings, when we score we have to go out and shut it down. Both those innings, we scored those twos, first batter he got out. He understands the game. He understands what he's trying to do. He stays within himself. That leadoff batter becomes important to him. He understands this is how you shut down an inning: you have to get the leadoff guy. To his credit, he did a great job of doing exactly that."

The Lopes finished the game in style with an impressive final three outs. Buries set the tone by robbing the leadoff man of a hit after diving to his left, stopping the ball and throwing across the diamond in time. Ohl recorded the second out via his seventh and final strikeout. Senior shortstop Channy Ortiz capped things off by sliding to his right to field a ball in the hole and throwing over to Hansen, who picked the ball at first to end the game.

The first game of the doubleheader checked in at a snappy one hour and 36 minutes.

Game 2

Utah Valley posted a four-run third inning behind the strength of two home runs. The Wolverines failed to score the rest of the way, but the damage had been done in a 4-3 Lopes loss.

"The game rewards consistency more than anything else," Stankiewicz said. "We didn't have really good at bats early when we should've put a ball in play and possibly scored a run. Little things matter."

GCU jumped in front in the first after Ortiz and Buries walked to lead off the game. Aguilar drove in Ortiz on a sacrifice fly.

The Wolverines countered with a seemingly harmless solo homer to lead off the third, but Utah Valley picked up three additional hits in the inning to put a crooked number on the scoreboard. The real damage was done on a two-out double that scored a run and a two-out home run that plated two more.

GCU threatened in the sixth with back-to-back, one-out singles, but a pair of looking strikeouts ended the frame.

The Lopes finally broke through in the seventh with a pair of runs to pull within one. Ortiz, junior third baseman Jonny Weaver and Burton strung together consecutive singles, and junior second baseman Juan Colato followed with a sacrifice fly.

GCU did not get a runner past first base in the eighth or ninth as it attempted to rally all the way back.

Lopes senior right-hander Dawson McCarville posted his second straight impressive relief effort, tossing four hitless and scoreless innings while striking out four.

"I liked the fight at the end, and I think that was a big part of Dawson McCarville being on the mound," Stankiewicz said. "He said, 'OK, that's enough. I'm going to pitch. I'm going to shut it down.' That's exactly what he did. I like what we did late, but it's about having that same intent and focus for nine innings. You run out of innings. We were chasing too many runs late, so we couldn't get back in it like we wanted to."

GCU outhit the Wolverines 8-6, but four of Utah Valley's six hits came in the same inning as the Wolverines only stranded two runners on base for the game.