Wilson's hot hitting helps GCU snag sweep

Sunday, March 20

Phoenix, Ariz.

12 p.m.

Grand Canyon

13-8, 6-0

Utah Valley

6-13, 2-7

Utah Valley

Grand Canyon

3/20/2022 4:46:00 PM | Baseball, Paul Coro

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Lopes shortstop knocks 10 consecutive hits in 3-0 series vs. Utah Valley

By: Paul Coro

It is hard enough to do what Grand Canyon baseball has achieved so far in WAC play this season – win every game.

It is vastly more difficult to do what Lopes sophomore shortstop Jacob Wilson just accomplished to help GCU win a second conference series – hit in every at bat.

Wilson followed up Friday's game-winning hit and Saturday's 5-for-5 performance by collecting hits in his first four at bats of Sunday's 4-3 Lopes win against Utah Valley at GCU Ballpark.

Wilson's streak of 10 consecutive hits set a record for this Division I era of GCU baseball and even approached the 45-year-old NCAA Division I record of 14 consecutive hits. Wilson's 11-for-14 weekend series with eight RBIs capped a week in which the Thousand Oaks, California, product went 18 for 23 (.783) with a midweek series split at No. 5 Oregon State.

Jacob Wilson

"I've got to keep that confidence going," Wilson said. "I'm just trying to find barrels. The week was insane."

Wilson is on a two-week tear following an 0-for-5 game at California Baptist that dropped his batting average to .237 through the season's first nine games. Since then, the 6-foot-3, 175-pounder is hitting .566 with a 12-game hitting streak.

On Sunday, Wilson singled in his first two at bats before smashing a first-pitch fastball over the left-field wall for a 3-0 Lopes lead in the fourth inning. He added a crucial RBI single in the sixth inning for a 4-2 lead, giving him 10 consecutive hits.

"That's impressive," GCU head coach Andy Stankiewicz said. "We talked about how well he keeps his barrel through the zone and the ability to use the whole field. He's had a great week, not only here but over there in Corvallis as well. It's fun to see. He's working hard. He's got a good approach to the plate and stays within himself."

The Lopes (13-8, 6-0 WAC) leaped to No. 17 nationally in the NCAA Ratings Percentage Index after Wednesday's 13-7 win at Oregon State and followed it up with a weekend of dominant starting pitching against Utah Valley.

Graduate Nick Hull, freshman Daniel Avitia and sophomore Connor Markl combined to allow two earned runs over 17 2/3 innings for a 1.02 ERA with 28 strikeouts to two walks.

Markl did not allow Utah Valley to mount threats over his first four innings, starting with picking off a Wolverines runner for the first inning's third out when the batter had a 3-1 count.

Using a three-pitch mix with his slider breaking sharply and his fastball running, Markl struck out four consecutive batters over the fourth and fifth innings. The Scottsdale Notre Dame Prep graduate surrendered a two-out solo home run and two singles before finishing the inning. The 85-pitch outing moved his record to 4-1 this season.

"Hull and Daniel did a great job, so I had to do the same thing and set the tone for the team," Markl said. "I was just competing. I was trying to locate well and get ahead in the count. When I get ahead, it's easier to find ways to get outs."

Utah Valley tightened Sunday's score to 4-3 because of two eighth-inning Lopes errors. With two on and two out in the top of the eighth, Lopes junior closer Vince Reilly closed the inning with the staff's 11th strikeout – GCU's third consecutive double-digit strikeout game of the series. Reilly shut out the Wolverines in the ninth for his third save.

"Today wasn't real pretty, but we found a way and I think that's the mark of a good ball club too," Stankiewicz said. "Some days aren't going to be as clean as you like, but you figure out a way to stay in it and get good ABs."

Wilson had offensive company Sunday with two-hit GCU games from sophomore first baseman Elijah Buries, junior right fielder Tayler Aguilar and senior second baseman Jonny Weaver. Buries extended his hitting streak to 10 games.

The sweep puts GCU in command of the WAC's West Division at 6-0 with the other teams having two losses or more. The Lopes play Tuesday night at Arizona State before resuming conference play next weekend at Sacramento State, which was 7-0 after sweeping Long Beach State but has gone 3-10 since then.

"This was huge for us," Markl said of the 3-0 weekend. "We have our sights set a lot higher, but we obviously want to win the WAC, get to Regionals and Super Regionals and then Omaha. This was one step to get to that goal, so it was good to see."