Ankeney, Young lead Lopes to 8-1 win

Saturday, February 17

Scottsdale, Ariz. / Salt River Fields

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

2-0

USC

0-2

Grand Canyon

USC

Photo by: Rachel Sollazzo

2/17/2024 9:57:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

GCU collects 12 hits, strikes out 13 USC batters in Scottsdale

By: Jerob Moon

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Grand Canyon posted a decisive 8-1 victory over USC in a nationally televised win Saturday night at Salt River Fields to improve to 2-0 in the MLB Desert Invitational.

The Lopes (2-0) had eight players record a hit while junior designated hitter Beau Ankeney and junior third baseman Eli Paton combined for three home runs. GCU grabbed a 3-0 lead in the first inning and played add-on late, scoring three runs in the ninth to pull away from USC (0-2) on the MLB Network broadcast.

GCU has won three of the last four meetings against USC, dating back to a road series win in 2019. In Saturday's resumption of the series, former 11-year Lopes head coach Andy Stankiewicz was in the opposing dugout to face off against his nine-year GCU assistant Gregg Wallis, now in his second season leading the Lopes.

On the mound, GCU senior right-hander Carter Young allowed just one run over five innings in his first start of 2024 while the bullpen continued to be lights out.

"I think Carter was amazing, going five innings and (allowing) one run," Wallis said. "He competed and got out of some jams. It was fun to watch him go out there with an edge. He pitched a great game."

Thanks to GCU scoring three runs in the top of the first inning, Young pitched with a lead his entire outing. The Wyoming native scattered three hits and left six USC runners on base. The only extra-base hit Young allowed in 22 batters was a solo home run in the fifth inning.

After Young's departure, the GCU bullpen carried over its performance from Friday night's season-opening win against Gerogetown by racking up strikeouts to preserve the lead. Sophomore left-hander Grant Richardson was lights out, pitching three innings and collecting six strikeouts with just one hit allowed. Senior right-hander Nathan Ward entered in the ninth and sat down the Trojans in order with two punchouts to end the game.

The GCU offense boosted the pitching by scoring runs early and often. Ankeney was the standout, collecting three hits for the second straight night. Two of those hits were home runs, a solo shot in the sixth and a two-run rocket in the ninth. After collecting his first career hit in Friday night's opener, the GCU junior is now 6 for 9 while slugging 1.444.

Up and down the lineup, the rest of the team contributed. Leadoff man and senior left fielder Tyler Wilson had two hits and scored the first run. Sophomore first baseman Zach Yorke reached base four times after doing so three times Friday night, while senior second baseman Dustin Crenshaw had two hits and a sacrifice bunt RBI while batting ninth.

"I just thought it was a complete offensive showing by our team, and I was proud of them," Wallis added.

The Lopes will wrap up the MLB Desert Invitational on Monday at Sloan Park in Mesa against BYU at 1 p.m. For Wallis and the Lopes, they're enjoying the opportunity to compete in the MLB Desert Invitational for the second consecutive season.

"This is a beautiful facility and we're just really thankful for the opportunity to play in this tournament," Wallis added. "Getting a chance to play out here, where we know the big leaguers will be next week, it's really a special experience."