Lopes leave opportunities stranded

Friday, April 7

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

17-13, 8-6

Seattle U

9-18, 7-7

Seattle U

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Zach Campbell

4/7/2023 9:32:00 PM | Baseball, Paul Coro

Box Score

Seattle U clinches series despite Yorke's 3 hits, Thornton's quality start

By: Paul Coro

The Grand Canyon baseball team is not losing because its star shortstop, junior Jacob Wilson, has been out of the lineup for four consecutive losses.

But the trickle effect of the injury absence of the nation's fourth-leading hitter is being felt, especially when the Lopes went 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position Friday night in a 5-2 loss to Seattle U at GCU Ballpark.

Seattle U (9-18, 7-7 WAC) clinched its first-ever series victory at GCU, where the teams will play the series finale at noon Saturday.

"We're in a funk," said Lopes head coach Gregg Wallis, whose team is on a four-game losing streak for the first time since last year's WAC and NCAA tournaments. "We've got to keep our heads up. Last night's loss was more frustrating than tonight. Tonight, we got beat. Last night, we made a lot of mistakes. We're pressing a little bit, but we're going to get out of it."

GCU junior left-hander Zach Thornton keeps giving his team chances to win by going at least five innings in each of his eight starts this season. The Lawrence, Kansas, native extended to a season-high 112 pitches, allowing three runs in 6 1/3 innings with five strikeouts.

But now at 5 for 34 with runners on base in the series, the Lopes left five runners in scoring position in the final three innings Friday night.

"We know it's going to turn, and we just have to continue to believe that," Wallis said. "We didn't want to drop any games this weekend. I felt more of a fight tonight. It just didn't happen. Sometimes, it takes a couple games to get out of a funk. Nothing went our way. We hit some balls right at guys, and they hit some balls that found holes.

"I'm confident that we're going to get out of it, and it will start tomorrow."

The top of GCU's lineup went 0 for 14 on Friday, but cleanup hitter Zach Yorke, a freshman designated hitter, picked up his second three-hit game of the season.

The Glendale (Ariz.) Mountain Ridge High School graduate singled in his final three at bats and how has hit in 20 of his last 22 games, moving his batting average to .324, third best on the team.

"I'm trying to be a leader on this team and set an example to show these guys that freshmen can play," Yorke said. "Wally, (assistant) coach Jack (Wilson) and (assistant coach) Paulie (Panaccione) have instilled a lot of confidence in me and said to take the reins. I'm trying to be that leader."

GCU junior left fielder Tyler Wilson and sophomore first baseman Eli Paton each added two hits, with Wilson extending his streak of reaching base to 10 consecutive plate appearances before it ended with a line-drive out.

Sophomore right-handed pitcher Daniel Avitia (3-1) will start Saturday's game for the Lopes after winning last Saturday at Utah Valley, where he allowed three runs in seven innings.