Young keeps shutout streak in series clincher

Saturday, April 3

Orem, Utah

11 a.m.

Grand Canyon

14-13-1, 9-3

Utah Valley

5-19, 3-9

Grand Canyon

Utah Valley

4/3/2021 2:25:00 PM | Baseball

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GCU claims 3 of 4 at Utah Valley with victory in Saturday finale

By: Josh Hauser

OREM, Utah — The Grand Canyon baseball team wrapped up a series victory over Utah Valley with a 7-2 win in the Saturday finale at UCCU Ballpark. The Lopes put together a five-run, six-hit fourth inning to take a 5-0 lead and never looked back.

Lopes freshman starting pitcher Carter Young threw five shutout innings to run his scoreless streak to 15 innings. The right-hander improved to 4-0 by only allowing two hits while walking two.

"He's done a great job since we put him in that role," GCU head coach Andy Stankiewicz said. "He just understands how to pitch. It's not about velocity for him. He mixes his pitches up well.

"I don't think he was as sharp as he would want to be. He had a couple of moments where he lost the zone, but he has the ability to find it again. He does a great job of getting back on the horse and making pitches. It's been encouraging to watch him work in that fourth game."

GCU (14-13-1, 9-3 WAC) did the brunt of its scoring in the fourth inning to break an early scoreless stalemate. The Lopes began the inning with five consecutive hits — three of the extra-base variety — to jump out to a 5-0 lead.

Lopes senior center fielder Brock Burton opened the inning by doubling off the left-field wall. Junior second baseman Juan Colato got GCU on the board with a home run to left for a 2-0 edge. Sophomore right fielder Tayler Aguilar and freshman designated hitter Tyler Wilson both went to right field with a double and a single, respectively. Freshman left fielder Cade Verdusco stepped in and rocketed a ball over the left field wall for his first career home run and the 5-0 lead.

"We had good swings," Stankiewicz said of the fourth inning. "We did a good job of staying to the middle of the field. Brock with the double to left field and Colato with the homer to left field. Verdusco staying on a breaking ball and getting good elevation to the pull side. That's big. Those are big moments for us."

The Lopes plated a couple more to take a 7-0 lead in the fifth inning. Wilson drew a bases-loaded walk and freshman first baseman Ryland Zaborowski hit a run-scoring single.

While GCU did go scoreless for the remainder of the game, the damage had been done.

"I'm not excited about those four zeros we had in the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth," Stankiewicz said. "The game is never over. That's part of our development offensively is building a personality of relentless at bats. We've got to get better at that. You take a series on a road though, that's always a good thing."

Utah Valley (5-19, 3-9 WAC) scored its only runs of the afternoon on a two-run home run in the eighth inning.

Lopes relievers Keaton Glover and Frankie Scalzo each had brief scoreless appearances to help secure the victory.

Colato, Aguilar, Wilson and junior third baseman Jonny Weaver each had two-hit days for the Lopes.

With seven consecutive road games in their rearview mirror, the Lopes return to Phoenix for the next five games. GCU, now within two games of first-place Califronia Baptist, hosts a four-game WAC series against Northern Colorado beginning on Friday before hosting Arizona on April 13.