Markl, Wilson lead Lopes to 4-3 win

Sunday, February 27

Irvine, Calif.

2 p.m. MST

Grand Canyon

3-4

UC Irvine

4-3

Grand Canyon

UC Irvine

2/27/2022 6:51:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

GCU gets back in win column in series finale

By: Jerob Moon

IRVINE, Calif. — The Grand Canyon baseball team took down UC Irvine 4-3 in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Anteater Ballpark.

It was a back-and-forth contest that featured four lead changes and two ties. Shortstop Jacob Wilson and right fielder Maxwell Andeel provided the clutch offense while relief pitchers Connor Markl and Vince Reilly shut the door.

"We needed this one," GCU head coach Andy Stankiewicz said. "That's a good ballclub and they do things really well. So I'm excited about a better overall performance today, and I thought we put good at bats together and we moved runners along."

The Lopes (3-4) took the early lead in the first inning on a solo home run from Jacob Wilson. With two outs in the inning, the GCU sophomore lifted a 3-1 pitch over the left field fence for his first home run of the season.

GCU extended the lead to 2-0 in the top of the fourth with a sacrifice fly by sophomore designated hitter Tyler Wilson to score sophomore infielder Dustin Crenshaw after he reached base via a walk and went from first to third on a single by sophomore outfielder Cade Verdusco.

Lopes junior starting pitcher Hunter Omlid didn't allow UC Irvine (4-3) to log a hit through the first three innings, but the Anteaters collected two straight triples in the fourth that ultimately resulted in a 2-2 tie to end his outing.

Markl then stepped on the mound fresh off a five-inning start against No. 11 Arizona on Tuesday where he allowed just one run with a career-high eight strikeouts.

The left-handed sophomore was just as effective on Sunday, throwing five strong innings and allowing just two hits and one run with no walks and three strikeouts.

"The performance that Connor put together today was extraordinary," Stankiewicz said. "We needed that. He did a fantastic job. Five innings of work as a non-starter is huge. That's two good performances from him and he's making a statement. We know he wants the baseball in his hands and that's fun to watch."

GCU regained the lead in the top of the sixth with an RBI single from Andeel. But the Anteaters answered with a solo home run off Markl in the bottom of the inning to tie it again at 3-3.

The Lopes took the lead right back the next inning with an RBI single from Jacob Wilson that scored sophomore center fielder Homer Bush Jr. from second. It was Wilson's fifth RBI and fifth hit of the series.

Markl limited the Anteaters to just one baserunner the next two innings before handing the ball off to Reilly in the ninth. Reilly got the first batter to ground out, but the next two reached base via a hit by pitch and a walk. With the winning run at first, Reilly got the next two batters to strike out swinging and ground out to second to end the game. Reilly recorded his first save of the season.

The Lopes will continue their California road trip with a midweek matchup at UC San Diego on Tuesday at 7 p.m. (Phoenix time).