Backed by Avitia's arm, offense repeats 14-run effort

Saturday, April 15

Abilene, Texas

1 p.m. (MST)

Grand Canyon

19-15, 10-7

Abilene Christian

24-10, 9-5

Grand Canyon

Abilene Christian

4/15/2023 4:04:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Lopes even series at Abilene Christian with mercy-rule 14-2 victory

By: Josh Hauser

ABILENE, Texas — Grand Canyon mimicked its 14-run offensive outburst from Friday night but paired it with pitching and defense to defeat Abilene Christian 14-2 in eight innings on Saturday.

Lopes sophomore starting pitcher Daniel Avitia tossed the first complete game of his career in improving to 5-1 on the season. The right-hander worked a career-high eight innings, limiting the Wildcats to four hits and two runs while striking out seven. The four hits was a GCU opponent season low.

"It was huge," Lopes head coach Gregg Wallis said. "We talked about it last night. If we want to start winning some games, then it's going to be about getting great pitching and great defense. We did that today. It was great pitching from Danny. Great defense."

Avitia's outing was the longest by a GCU pitcher since Pierson Ohl also tossed eight innings on May 20, 2021, vs. California Baptist.

Lopes junior shortstop Jacob Wilson returned to the starting lineup for the first time since April 1 and didn't miss a beat, recording three hits while stabilizing the left side of GCU's infield.

"We not only made the routine play, but we made some defensive plays," Wallis said. "That's what we've been missing in the last 10-game stretch. Maybe we haven't been making errors, but we haven't been making the big play. Today, we made the big plays. Emilio (Barreras) over at third base made a couple big plays. Jacob being back in the lineup just locks down the left side. We got great pitching, great defense and then we put together good at bats. That's a formula for winning baseball."

With pitching and defense firing on all cylinders, GCU's offense posted 14 runs on 15 hits. It was the first time since returning to Division I in 2014 that the Lopes posted back-to-back games of 14 runs and 15 hits.

The No. 3, 4 and 5 spots in the Lopes' order each recorded three hits in Wilson, freshman designated hitter Zach Yorke and junior left fielder Elijah Buries. All three of Buries' hits were doubles, the first three-double performance by a GCU batter since Wilson did so on April 29, 2022, at Utah Valley. Buries and junior right fielder Cade Verdusco each logged a team-high three RBIs. Verdusco and Yorke homered.

Yorke's team-leading sixth home run of the season helped reverse any hint of an Abilene Christian comeback. The Wildcats got a run back in the bottom of the fourth and retired the Lopes in order for the first time in the fifth. Yorke quickly flipped the momentum with a two-run shot in the sixth to extend the lead to 8-2.

"He doesn't stand in the box like a freshman," Wallis said. "It's nice to know that he's just a freshman because he takes professional at bats. When he comes up to the plate, you feel really really good about our chances. That home run was big. They were getting some momentum. It was a 6-2 ballgame, but the way this team can score and the way this ballpark can play at times, they were building a little bit of momentum. Zach stopped that with a big two-run home run. He's fun to watch. He's a professional hitter."

The Lopes scored in the first inning for the 13th time in the last 17 games, with the first of Buries' three doubles driving in Verdusco. Buries is hitting .355 over the past 10 games.

GCU scored one second-inning run and two third-inning runs on productive outs. Another Buries double and another productive out accounted for the two-run tally in the fourth inning.

After Yorke's two-run shot in the sixth, the Lopes broke the game wide open with a six-run eighth inning that ultimately induced the mercy rule. GCU racked up seven hits in the frame, including two RBI knocks for Verdusco in his fourth consecutive two-hit game.

Saturday's victory sets up a Sunday rubber match as the Lopes look to win their 12th consecutive WAC road series. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. (Phoenix time).