Completed Event: Baseball at Stanford on May 9, 2025 , Win , 4, to, 3
Baseball
at Stanford
W 4-3
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Avitia earns 2nd career WAC Pitcher of Week
4/17/2023 2:00:00 PM | Baseball
Reigning WAC Pitcher of Year tossed 8 innings in win at Abilene Christian
Grand Canyon sophomore pitcher Daniel Avitia was named the WAC Pitcher of the Week for the second time in his career on Monday.
Avitia helped lead the Lopes to a mercy-rule 14-2 victory over Abilene Christian on Saturday, tossing eight innings of two-run baseball with seven strikeouts.
"It was huge," Lopes head coach Gregg Wallis said following Saturday's performance. "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."
The reigning WAC Pitcher of the Year worked through eight innings for the first time in his career and was GCU's first pitcher to go eight full since Pierson Ohl did on May 20, 2021, vs. California Baptist.
Additionally, Avitia was the first Lopes pitcher to toss eight innings and allow four or less hits since April 11, 2015 (Coley Bruns).
Leadoff hits were the only speed bumps for Avitia, allowing a solo homer in the second and a leadoff double that scored in the fourth. That was more than compensated by a huge day at the plate for GCU's offense that racked up 14 runs and 15 hits.
Avitia has now strung together three wins and three quality starts consecutively:
Avitia last earned WAC Pitcher of the Week honors on March 21, 2022, after a winning start vs. Utah Valley of 6 2/3 innings, no earned runs and 11 strikeouts.
Avitia claims GCU's third WAC Pitcher of the Week honor of 2023, following behind Zach Thornton who won the award on Feb. 20 and March 13.
The Lopes wrap up a five-game Texas trip with Tuesday and Wednesday matchups at No. 16 Texas Tech before returning to Phoenix for a three-game set with Utah Tech beginning on Friday.
Â
Avitia helped lead the Lopes to a mercy-rule 14-2 victory over Abilene Christian on Saturday, tossing eight innings of two-run baseball with seven strikeouts.
"It was huge," Lopes head coach Gregg Wallis said following Saturday's performance. "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."
The reigning WAC Pitcher of the Year worked through eight innings for the first time in his career and was GCU's first pitcher to go eight full since Pierson Ohl did on May 20, 2021, vs. California Baptist.
Additionally, Avitia was the first Lopes pitcher to toss eight innings and allow four or less hits since April 11, 2015 (Coley Bruns).
Leadoff hits were the only speed bumps for Avitia, allowing a solo homer in the second and a leadoff double that scored in the fourth. That was more than compensated by a huge day at the plate for GCU's offense that racked up 14 runs and 15 hits.
Avitia has now strung together three wins and three quality starts consecutively:
- April 1 at Utah Valley - three runs in seven innings
- April 8 vs. Seattle U - six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts
- April 15 at Abilene Christian - two runs in eight innings
Avitia last earned WAC Pitcher of the Week honors on March 21, 2022, after a winning start vs. Utah Valley of 6 2/3 innings, no earned runs and 11 strikeouts.
Avitia claims GCU's third WAC Pitcher of the Week honor of 2023, following behind Zach Thornton who won the award on Feb. 20 and March 13.
The Lopes wrap up a five-game Texas trip with Tuesday and Wednesday matchups at No. 16 Texas Tech before returning to Phoenix for a three-game set with Utah Tech beginning on Friday.
Â
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballGCU Baseball - WAC Tournament vs. Utah Tech - Highlights
Thursday, May 22
Baseball at Stanford - Barreras' game-winning double
Saturday, May 10
Baseball vs. Arizona (5/6/25) - Yorke homers twice to break record
Wednesday, May 07
GCU Baseball - Eli Paton walk-off single vs. UTA
Saturday, April 26