Completed Event: Baseball at Stanford on May 9, 2025 , Win , 4, to, 3
Baseball
at Stanford
W 4-3
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Saturday, April 8
Phoenix, Ariz.
12 p.m.
Grand Canyon
18-13, 9-6
14
vs
2
Seattle U
9-19, 7-8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Seattle U
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
6
1
Grand Canyon
2
0
2
8
2
0
X
14
15
0
Photo by: Zach Campbell
Avitia's arm, GCU bats heat up for 14-2 rout
4/8/2023 3:42:00 PM | Baseball, Paul Coro
Sophomore blanks Seattle U for 6; Paton rocks grand slam for 1st career homer
A day ahead of Easter, Grand Canyon went on the hunt Saturday and cracked open the offensive eye candy while sophomore ace Daniel Avitia put up a row of goose eggs.
The Lopes went well past the need for a win, snapping a four-game losing streak by playing with their previous top-25 form for their season's biggest blowout – a 14-2, run-rule win against Seattle U in the seven-inning season finale at GCU Ballpark.
Avitia (4-1) rolled for a season-high nine strikeouts over six shutout innings, matching his longest shutout performance of the season against New Mexico State on March 1.
GCU (18-13, 9-6 WAC) tied for its second-largest run production of the season with a 15-hit barrage, but the Lopes did not break the game open until an eight-run bottom of the fourth. Until then, it was Avitia controlling the game by painting corners and blowing by Seattle U's swings.
"Danny wanted it," GCU head coach Gregg Wallis said. "Danny's got a lot of pride in this program. His brother (David) was here for four years, and he grew up across the street. We had a good feeling that Danny wanted to protect the program today, and he did a great job of that."
Seattle U leadoff hitter Cole Kleckner went 3 for 3, but the rest of the Redhawks (9-19, 7-8 WAC) were 1 for 20 against Avitia with the only hit being a double that was misjudged in the air.
"I just felt great on my fastball," Avitia said. "My change-up was feeling great as well. I knew I had good stuff, so I just had to attack them really. Give my team a chance."
GCU hit .484 on the day, putting its first three batters on base with junior left fielder Tyler Wilson staying hot in his 8-for-14 week by lining an RBI single over shortstop for the 1-0 lead.
Lopes sophomore first baseman Eli Paton made bigger noise with a fourth-inning grand slam, on which he was aiming for his second sacrifice fly after his first-inning one put GCU ahead 2-0.
GCU also applied the pressure in the third inning, when its first four batters reached base. It started with freshman designed hitter Zach Yorke sending a single the opposite way to foil a shift. He went 5 for 6 in the past two games and has hit in 21 of his last 23 games.
"The effort level, intensity and the attention to detail were there last night," Wallis said of a 5-2 loss on Friday night. "The guys came out alert and wanting the game. It just didn't go our way, so I had a good feeling that it would come together. So we just move forward from here."
After Avitia's seventh strikeout stranded two Redhawks in scoring position in the top of the fourth inning, the Lopes again had Seattle U reeling with their first six batters reaching base in the bottom half.
Only one of the first five baserunners came on a hit, when sophomore center fielder Homer Bush Jr. took a full-count pitch to the opposite field.
After GCU junior third baseman Elijah Buries walked in a run for a 6-0 lead, Paton smashed his first collegiate home run for a high-arching grand slam to right field and an 8-0 lead.
"A grand slam, I mean you can't write it any better than that, but that's a credit to my teammates for getting on base ahead of me," Paton said of knocking out a 1-1 fastball. "Coach Jack (Wilson) has really helped us out. I was a little too long at the beginning of the year, not going A to B. We went to more of a two-strike approach and A to B is going really well.
"GCU's the spot. I love it. The coaches are awesome – Wally (Gregg Wallis), Banny (pitching coach) Nathan Bannister and Coach Jack. The boys are great. We're special. We're going to make a good run this year."
Paton was 7 for 40 (.175) this season until the past two games, when he was 5 for 8 after his father, two grandmothers and his aunt drove from California to attend his games. The UCLA transfer recorded career highs for hits (three) and RBIs (five) on Saturday.
"Eli just needed to get into a rhythm. He made some swing adjustments, and his swing is really short, compact and to the ball right now. So he's taking great at bats when his swing is inside, compact and through the ball. He looks great up there."
It was GCU's fifth consecutive game playing without junior shortstop Jacob Wilson, the nation's fourth-leading hitter at .465. Freshman Emilio Barreras, who is from Casa Grande, Arizona, has picked up six hits and reached base four more times (walked twice and hit by pitch twice) as his starting replacement.
Bush took his batting average back over .400 with a 2-for-3 game and a walk. Eight Lopes reached base twice Saturday.
"Don't let the Lopes get rolling, or else it could be bad for everyone else," Avitia said.
GCU is back at home Tuesday night against Arizona State at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast on FOX 10 Xtra (Channel 45, Cable 9).
The Lopes went well past the need for a win, snapping a four-game losing streak by playing with their previous top-25 form for their season's biggest blowout – a 14-2, run-rule win against Seattle U in the seven-inning season finale at GCU Ballpark.
Avitia (4-1) rolled for a season-high nine strikeouts over six shutout innings, matching his longest shutout performance of the season against New Mexico State on March 1.
GCU (18-13, 9-6 WAC) tied for its second-largest run production of the season with a 15-hit barrage, but the Lopes did not break the game open until an eight-run bottom of the fourth. Until then, it was Avitia controlling the game by painting corners and blowing by Seattle U's swings.
"Danny wanted it," GCU head coach Gregg Wallis said. "Danny's got a lot of pride in this program. His brother (David) was here for four years, and he grew up across the street. We had a good feeling that Danny wanted to protect the program today, and he did a great job of that."Seattle U leadoff hitter Cole Kleckner went 3 for 3, but the rest of the Redhawks (9-19, 7-8 WAC) were 1 for 20 against Avitia with the only hit being a double that was misjudged in the air.
"I just felt great on my fastball," Avitia said. "My change-up was feeling great as well. I knew I had good stuff, so I just had to attack them really. Give my team a chance."
GCU hit .484 on the day, putting its first three batters on base with junior left fielder Tyler Wilson staying hot in his 8-for-14 week by lining an RBI single over shortstop for the 1-0 lead.
Lopes sophomore first baseman Eli Paton made bigger noise with a fourth-inning grand slam, on which he was aiming for his second sacrifice fly after his first-inning one put GCU ahead 2-0.
GCU also applied the pressure in the third inning, when its first four batters reached base. It started with freshman designed hitter Zach Yorke sending a single the opposite way to foil a shift. He went 5 for 6 in the past two games and has hit in 21 of his last 23 games.
"The effort level, intensity and the attention to detail were there last night," Wallis said of a 5-2 loss on Friday night. "The guys came out alert and wanting the game. It just didn't go our way, so I had a good feeling that it would come together. So we just move forward from here."
After Avitia's seventh strikeout stranded two Redhawks in scoring position in the top of the fourth inning, the Lopes again had Seattle U reeling with their first six batters reaching base in the bottom half.
Only one of the first five baserunners came on a hit, when sophomore center fielder Homer Bush Jr. took a full-count pitch to the opposite field.
After GCU junior third baseman Elijah Buries walked in a run for a 6-0 lead, Paton smashed his first collegiate home run for a high-arching grand slam to right field and an 8-0 lead."A grand slam, I mean you can't write it any better than that, but that's a credit to my teammates for getting on base ahead of me," Paton said of knocking out a 1-1 fastball. "Coach Jack (Wilson) has really helped us out. I was a little too long at the beginning of the year, not going A to B. We went to more of a two-strike approach and A to B is going really well.
"GCU's the spot. I love it. The coaches are awesome – Wally (Gregg Wallis), Banny (pitching coach) Nathan Bannister and Coach Jack. The boys are great. We're special. We're going to make a good run this year."
Paton was 7 for 40 (.175) this season until the past two games, when he was 5 for 8 after his father, two grandmothers and his aunt drove from California to attend his games. The UCLA transfer recorded career highs for hits (three) and RBIs (five) on Saturday.
"Eli just needed to get into a rhythm. He made some swing adjustments, and his swing is really short, compact and to the ball right now. So he's taking great at bats when his swing is inside, compact and through the ball. He looks great up there."
It was GCU's fifth consecutive game playing without junior shortstop Jacob Wilson, the nation's fourth-leading hitter at .465. Freshman Emilio Barreras, who is from Casa Grande, Arizona, has picked up six hits and reached base four more times (walked twice and hit by pitch twice) as his starting replacement.
Bush took his batting average back over .400 with a 2-for-3 game and a walk. Eight Lopes reached base twice Saturday.
"Don't let the Lopes get rolling, or else it could be bad for everyone else," Avitia said.
GCU is back at home Tuesday night against Arizona State at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast on FOX 10 Xtra (Channel 45, Cable 9).
💥 First career HR in 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐎𝐍. 💥@PatonEli blasts a grand slam for his first career long ball! pic.twitter.com/oLOe2x2bQt
— Grand Canyon Baseball (@GCU_Baseball) April 8, 2023
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Avitia, Daniel (4-1)
L: Smith, Blake (2-2)
Batting:
2B: Carr, Kellen 1 ; Gellos, Derek 1
RBI: Carr, Kellen 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Kleckner, Cole 1 ; Lopez, Sebastian 1
HBP: Heiser, Grant 1
Batting:
HR: Paton, Eli 1
RBI: Bush Jr., Homer 1 ; Wilson, Tyler 2 ; Yorke, Zach 1 ; Buries, Elijah 1 ; Paton, Eli 5 ; Buckley, Josh 1 ; Verdusco, Cade 2
SH: Verdusco, Cade 1
SF: Paton, Eli 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Bush Jr., Homer 2 ; Wilson, Tyler 2 ; Yorke, Zach 2 ; Buries, Elijah 2 ; Paton, Eli 2 ; Buckley, Josh 1 ; Barreras, Emilio 1 ; Verdusco, Cade 1 ; Gregory, Zack 1
SB: Bush Jr., Homer 1
HBP: Gregory, Zack 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
3b/rf
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
UTIL
/ BaseballUTIL
/ 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