GCU takes 2 from Tarleton

Saturday, May 6

Stephenville, Texas

9 a.m. (MST)

Grand Canyon

28-19, 15-7

Tarleton

23-20, 7-13

Grand Canyon

Tarleton State

5/6/2023 4:04:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Lopes run win streak to 6 games with doubleheader sweep

By: Josh Hauser

STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Grand Canyon swept a Saturday doubleheader at Tarleton by scores of 16-7 and 8-5 to run its win streak to six games.

"They're all big this time of year," Lopes head coach Gregg Wallis said. "Two big conference wins. Great pitching performances. Great defense. Obviously, the offense the first game was outstanding. The second game we capitalized on some opportunities. It was all around great baseball for two games. We get to try to win three in 24 hours for our second time in two weeks. That will be a fun challenge."

Lopes freshman Zach Yorke finished the day with nine RBIs including his first career grand slam. He broke GCU's Division I freshman record for RBIs in a season with a six-RBI performance in Game 1 before adding to the total with three more in Game 2.

GCU has won seven consecutive conference games and will look for the series sweep on Sunday at 11 a.m. (Phoenix time).

Game 1

Grand Canyon scored four runs in the first inning and never surrendered the lead in a 16-7 defeat of Tarleton.

Senior catcher Josh Buckley more than doubled his previous career high with five RBIs, including a three-run homer in the seventh inning to extend GCU's lead from one run to four runs.

Yorke set a new career high with six RBIs to tie junior Tyler Wilson for the most in a game by a Lope this season.

GCU's first-inning success was fueled by a bases-loaded walk, a two-run single by Buckley and a bases-loaded hit by pitch.

Tarleton responded with a three-run home run by junior first baseman Jack Wagner — his first of three home runs on the day.

The Lopes plated two in the fourth — including a home run by graduate second baseman Zack Gregory — and one run in the sixth on a Yorke sac fly to build the lead to 7-3.

The Texans again responded with a three-run inning to cut the Lopes' lead to one, but GCU finished the game by scoring nine of the game's final 10 runs to run away with the win. The late innings were headlined by a three-run homer from Buckley and a grand slam from Yorke.

Sophomore righty Daniel Avitia was victorious for the sixth time this season after tossing 5 2/3 innings and striking out seven. Junior Shawn Triplett earned his second save of the season after completing the game's final 3 1/3 innings.

Junior third baseman Elijah Buries joined Yorke with team-leading three-hit games.

Game 2

Lopes junior left-hander Zach Thornton fell two outs shy of recording GCU's first nine-inning complete game since 2019, instead settling for an impressive outing of 8 1/3 innings on 109 pitches and a seventh win.

"He was awesome," Wallis said. "He did exactly what we needed from him on a weekend where we're going to play a lot of baseball in a short window. He gave us length. He went 8 1/3 and wanted to finish the game. We thought that he was still strong and within his pitch count. Once he gave up the home run, we decided to go to Brodie (Cooper-Vassalakis).

Thornton gave up two-run home runs in back-to-back innings to close out his day but previously allowed just one run through the first seven innings.

"Zach did exactly what we needed him to do today. He gave us some length. He pitched deep. That's what you need out of your horses this late in the year. He's built up for that. He's got to go deep in games in the end of conference and the tournament so we have all our pitching options available. He did a great job of saving some arms."

GCU once again went to work in the first inning, scoring in the opening frame for the 20th time in the last 31 games. Junior shortstop Jacob Wilson doubled to right-center to score junior center fielder Homer Bush Jr. Yorke got right back on the RBI train by driving in Jacob Wilson with a knock.

The similarities with the day's first game continued with the Texans also scoring in the first inning to pull within a run.

The 2-1 battle held until the fifth inning when the Lopes began a late-game scoring spree to pull away.

Yorke doubled in freshman shortstop Emilio Barreras from first base in the fifth inning.

"That lefty's pretty good and he's tough on lefties, but Yorke followed up with an RBI base hit and huge in a 2-1 game had the gapper that scored Emilio from first base," Wallis said. "That was a big moment because it's a pitcher's duel, it was 2-1, both lefties were throwing really well. Big Zach came up clutch, hitting the gap and able to score someone from first base."

Bush came up with the highlight hit of the game, a bases-clearing triple to turn a 3-1 game into a 6-1 game.

The Lopes added two more in the eighth by exhibiting patience at the plate. GCU drew four walks and a hit batsman, building an 8-1 lead that was big enough to absorb Tarleton's two late homers.

Cooper-Vassalakis got two quick outs to close out the game and earn his fourth save of the season.