Upcoming Event: Baseball versus MLB Desert Invitational on February 13, 2026
Baseball
vs MLB Desert Invitational
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Watkins has career day, earns WAC honor
5/20/2024 10:00:00 AM | Baseball
GCU freshman's 4 shutout innings, win earn his 1st WAC Pitcher of Week award
Grand Canyon freshman right-hander Hunter Watkins was named WAC Pitcher of the Week for the first time.
Earning his second career win, Watkins tossed four shutout innings at Utah Valley on Friday night to close out an extra-inning victory. He struck out a career-high eight batters and allowed only one hit in GCU's 9-3 win that included a barrage of runs in the top of the 10th, giving Watkins the win.
"We know Hunter's good, but that's about as sharp as he's been all year," Lopes head coach Gregg Wallis said Friday night. "He's big, and he's downhill. The type of offense that they have, where they're trying to lift, it's tough because the ball is coming so downhill. He was outstanding. He had all of his pitches going. He was aggressive, filling up the strike zone, burying breaking balls when he had count leverage. He got our helmet after the game. The guys recognized too that he was a big reason we came back and won this game."
Watkins faced 14 batters in the final four innings and allowed the offense time to do its part in extra innings. The Lopes won Saturday's rubber match to extend their streak of WAC series victories to 15.
Perfect Game named Watkins the third-best incoming freshman in the WAC before the season and the 6-foot-8 Simi Valley, California, native has delivered on the hype. After striking out five batters on three instances, his eight-strikeout performance Friday blew those numbers out of the water and built momentum for postseason baseball.
Watkins joins right-hander Connor Mattison as the two GCU freshmen to receive WAC Pitcher of the Week this season. Lopes sophomore left-hander Grant Richardson also won the award three weeks ago.
Regular-season conference champion GCU earned a double bye in the WAC Tournament, with their first game coming on Thursday at noon (Phoenix time). With three consecutive wins, the Lopes could book another trip to the NCAA tournament.
Earning his second career win, Watkins tossed four shutout innings at Utah Valley on Friday night to close out an extra-inning victory. He struck out a career-high eight batters and allowed only one hit in GCU's 9-3 win that included a barrage of runs in the top of the 10th, giving Watkins the win.
"We know Hunter's good, but that's about as sharp as he's been all year," Lopes head coach Gregg Wallis said Friday night. "He's big, and he's downhill. The type of offense that they have, where they're trying to lift, it's tough because the ball is coming so downhill. He was outstanding. He had all of his pitches going. He was aggressive, filling up the strike zone, burying breaking balls when he had count leverage. He got our helmet after the game. The guys recognized too that he was a big reason we came back and won this game."
Watkins faced 14 batters in the final four innings and allowed the offense time to do its part in extra innings. The Lopes won Saturday's rubber match to extend their streak of WAC series victories to 15.
Perfect Game named Watkins the third-best incoming freshman in the WAC before the season and the 6-foot-8 Simi Valley, California, native has delivered on the hype. After striking out five batters on three instances, his eight-strikeout performance Friday blew those numbers out of the water and built momentum for postseason baseball.
Watkins joins right-hander Connor Mattison as the two GCU freshmen to receive WAC Pitcher of the Week this season. Lopes sophomore left-hander Grant Richardson also won the award three weeks ago.
Regular-season conference champion GCU earned a double bye in the WAC Tournament, with their first game coming on Thursday at noon (Phoenix time). With three consecutive wins, the Lopes could book another trip to the NCAA tournament.
Players Mentioned
❌ 𝐧𝐨 𝐟𝐥𝐲 𝐳𝐨𝐧𝐞 ❌ Max Charles' diving grab
Friday, November 14
Dom goes DEEP at ASU in fall ball
Friday, November 14
GCU Baseball - WAC Tournament vs. Utah Tech - Highlights
Thursday, May 22
Baseball at Stanford - Barreras' game-winning double
Saturday, May 10