Completed Event: Baseball at Stanford on May 9, 2025 , Win , 4, to, 3
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Grand Canyon University Athletics
Saturday, May 1
Sacramento, Calif.
2 p.m.
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Blistering bats run WAC win streak to 10
5/1/2021 9:15:00 PM | Baseball
Lopes outscore Hornets 18-1 in doubleheader sweep to clinch series
SACRAMENTO — Grand Canyon pounded out 18 runs on 23 hits while holding Sacramento State to one run in a doubleheader sweep. GCU ran its WAC win streak to 10 games with 6-1 and 12-0 victories on Saturday at John Smith Field.
GCU's one-two punch in conference doubleheaders got the job done again. Junior right-hander Pierson Ohl improved to 6-1 on the season with his fifth consecutive complete-game victory in six conference starts. Ohl surrendered one run while striking out six in the scheduled seven-inning game. Senior right-hander Dawson McCarville continued his impressive run, earning another victory and pushing his scoreless-inning streak to 29.
All three games in the series at Sacramento State (25-16, 16-11 WAC) have spanned just seven innings. In addition to the scheduled Saturday seven-inning game, the Lopes won by mercy rule twice.
"Right now, I think we're hitting on all cylinders," said freshman third baseman Jacob Wilson, who had four hits and his first career home run on the day. "We're driving in runs now, which is really good. Hitting for power. I think we're on our way to our best. We're getting there."
The Lopes (26-15-1, 19-4 WAC) have won five straight conference series after splitting their first WAC series. They remain one game back of California Baptist (28-11, 20-3 WAC.
"We're seeing glimpses of our lights-out pitching with our gritty at bats," Ohl said. "I still think we've got a long way to go, which is pretty scary if you think about it. But we're super excited."
GCU senior center fielder Brock Burton opened the scoring by doubling to left field to score freshman right fielder Cade Verdusco with two outs in the second inning.
The Hornets responded with their only run of the day in the bottom of the third.
To break the tie, Verdusco hit a sacrifice fly to score junior left fielder Juan Colato, who opened the inning with a base hit. Burton continued his knack for driving in runs with a two-out single to push GCU's lead to 3-1.
Lopes freshman first baseman Elijah Buries broke the game open with his third home run of the season, a three-run blast to left field in the fifth inning to reach the final margin of 6-1.
Ohl allowed six hits and two walks but pressed through for his fifth consecutive seven-inning, complete-game victory in conference play.
"Today was one of those grind days where the 'A' stuff wasn't there," Ohl said. "But I found a way to make pitches and get some ground balls. The defense was playing well behind me. They hit a few hard shots right at guys and it just went our way today. It makes it easy to go out and fill up the zone when they're putting runs up all game long. That's awesome to see the young guys coming around and getting hot again."
"It felt awesome," Wilson said. "Finally got my first one. Huge team win, nice little seven-inning (game). It was great. It was a slider. I was just trying to get it elevated for a sac fly, drive in a run. I just caught it out in front and good things happen."
The nine-run second featured seven base hits. It was nearly a three-homer inning with GCU senior shortstop Channy Ortiz hitting a two-run double off the top of the outfield wall.
The big second inning followed a first inning where Lopes sophomore right fielder Tayler Aguilar hit a two-out, two-run double.
GCU tacked on its 12th run when Ortiz did lift one out of the ballpark for his third home run of the weekend, giving him eight on the season.
McCarville was victorious for his third straight start. The senior tossed six innings of shutout baseball to run his scoreless-inning streak to 29.
"Obviously, Pierson is a great pitcher," McCarville said of Ohl. "He gives me a lot of looks too. I learn a lot from pitching behind him. He sets the tone and I know what I have to do. I try to beat him every outing. I got him today."
McCarville drew two double-play balls to help assist with the seven hits he scattered.
After a scoreless seventh from freshman left-hander reliever Connor Markl, GCU posted its fourth shutout victory of the season.
GCU hands the ball to freshman right-hander Carter Young in Sunday's series finale, slated to begin at 1 p.m.
"I'm excited to watch the little freshman pitch," McCarville said. "He's going to do his thing."
GCU's one-two punch in conference doubleheaders got the job done again. Junior right-hander Pierson Ohl improved to 6-1 on the season with his fifth consecutive complete-game victory in six conference starts. Ohl surrendered one run while striking out six in the scheduled seven-inning game. Senior right-hander Dawson McCarville continued his impressive run, earning another victory and pushing his scoreless-inning streak to 29.
All three games in the series at Sacramento State (25-16, 16-11 WAC) have spanned just seven innings. In addition to the scheduled Saturday seven-inning game, the Lopes won by mercy rule twice.
"Right now, I think we're hitting on all cylinders," said freshman third baseman Jacob Wilson, who had four hits and his first career home run on the day. "We're driving in runs now, which is really good. Hitting for power. I think we're on our way to our best. We're getting there."
The Lopes (26-15-1, 19-4 WAC) have won five straight conference series after splitting their first WAC series. They remain one game back of California Baptist (28-11, 20-3 WAC.
"We're seeing glimpses of our lights-out pitching with our gritty at bats," Ohl said. "I still think we've got a long way to go, which is pretty scary if you think about it. But we're super excited."
Game 1
A 1-1 tie into the fourth inning was broken when the Lopes scored five runs in the fourth and fifth frames.GCU senior center fielder Brock Burton opened the scoring by doubling to left field to score freshman right fielder Cade Verdusco with two outs in the second inning.
The Hornets responded with their only run of the day in the bottom of the third.
To break the tie, Verdusco hit a sacrifice fly to score junior left fielder Juan Colato, who opened the inning with a base hit. Burton continued his knack for driving in runs with a two-out single to push GCU's lead to 3-1.
Lopes freshman first baseman Elijah Buries broke the game open with his third home run of the season, a three-run blast to left field in the fifth inning to reach the final margin of 6-1.
Ohl allowed six hits and two walks but pressed through for his fifth consecutive seven-inning, complete-game victory in conference play.
"Today was one of those grind days where the 'A' stuff wasn't there," Ohl said. "But I found a way to make pitches and get some ground balls. The defense was playing well behind me. They hit a few hard shots right at guys and it just went our way today. It makes it easy to go out and fill up the zone when they're putting runs up all game long. That's awesome to see the young guys coming around and getting hot again."
Game 2
GCU scored nine times in the second inning — its biggest inning of the season — to put the game out of reach early and cruise to another mercy-rule victory. In the frame, Wilson and sophomore catcher Josh Buckley each hit their first collegiate home runs."It felt awesome," Wilson said. "Finally got my first one. Huge team win, nice little seven-inning (game). It was great. It was a slider. I was just trying to get it elevated for a sac fly, drive in a run. I just caught it out in front and good things happen."
The nine-run second featured seven base hits. It was nearly a three-homer inning with GCU senior shortstop Channy Ortiz hitting a two-run double off the top of the outfield wall.
The big second inning followed a first inning where Lopes sophomore right fielder Tayler Aguilar hit a two-out, two-run double.
GCU tacked on its 12th run when Ortiz did lift one out of the ballpark for his third home run of the weekend, giving him eight on the season.
McCarville was victorious for his third straight start. The senior tossed six innings of shutout baseball to run his scoreless-inning streak to 29.
"Obviously, Pierson is a great pitcher," McCarville said of Ohl. "He gives me a lot of looks too. I learn a lot from pitching behind him. He sets the tone and I know what I have to do. I try to beat him every outing. I got him today."
McCarville drew two double-play balls to help assist with the seven hits he scattered.
After a scoreless seventh from freshman left-hander reliever Connor Markl, GCU posted its fourth shutout victory of the season.
GCU hands the ball to freshman right-hander Carter Young in Sunday's series finale, slated to begin at 1 p.m.
"I'm excited to watch the little freshman pitch," McCarville said. "He's going to do his thing."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ohl, Pierson (6-1)
L: Haynes, Kevin (1-2)
Batting:
2B: Burton, Brock 1
HR: Buries, Elijah 1
RBI: Buries, Elijah 3 ; Verdusco, Cade 1 ; Burton, Brock 2
SF: Verdusco, Cade 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ortiz, Channy 1 ; Wilson, Jacob 1 ; Colato, Juan 1 ; Buries, Elijah 2 ; Verdusco, Cade 1
SB: Colato, Juan 2 ; Buries, Elijah 1
HBP: Ortiz, Channy 1 ; Burton, Brock 1 ; Avitia, David 1
PO: Aguilar, Tayler 1
Batting:
2B: Gonzalez, Chris 1
RBI: Iwasa, Nick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gonzalez, Chris 1
CS: Iwasa, Nick 1
Game Leaders
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3
R
2
H
1
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
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