Upcoming Event: Baseball versus Cal State Fullerton on November 8, 2025 at 11 a.m.
Baseball
11 a.m.
vs Cal State Fullerton
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Friday, May 3
Phoenix, Ariz.
7 p.m.
Grand Canyon
27-18, 17-5
11
vs
1
California Baptist
29-17, 14-8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
R
H
E
California Baptist
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
7
1
Grand Canyon
0
1
1
0
3
0
0
6
11
12
1
Photo by: Jack Gilday
GCU opens series with 3rd straight double-digit win
5/3/2024 10:01:00 PM | Baseball
Lopes extend WAC lead to 3 games, score 6 in 8th to induce mercy rule
Grand Canyon opened an important conference series against California Baptist with an 11-1 mercy-rule victory in eight innings at GCU Ballpark on Friday night.
The Lopes (27-18, 17-5 WAC) won a third straight game by double digits, a span in which GCU has notched 55 runs on 51 hits for its highest-scoring three-game stretch since 1988.
"Really proud of the guys," Lopes head coach Gregg Wallis said. "Their starter was really good. It was a great pitchers' duel for three, four innings. We made him work a little bit. We took some of his good off-speed pitches that are tempting, but they fall out of the zone. Our hitters showed great discipline, worked some deep counts. We got him out of the game and were able to get to their bullpen. It's a great Friday night win. We'll regroup. We know they're going to come back tomorrow ready to play."
With losses by California Baptist and Abilene Christian putting them in a second-place tie with Utah Valley, GCU's lead in the WAC standings extended from two games to three games
Reigning WAC Pitcher of the Week Grant Richardson recorded his third straight Friday night victory, striking out eight in 5 2/3 innings and allowing one run.
"Another great start," Wallis said of the sophomore. "He's really come into his own. Five starts in a row, including the midweek against ASU, where he's been dominant. It's great to see him going out there, establishing the fastball, throwing the power fastball, throwing the power slider. I don't know that I've seen a lefty with that kind of stuff in a long time."
Junior right-hander Daniel Avitia continues to work out of the bullpen in building back from time missed due to injury. Avitia picked up where Richardson left off, tossing 2 1/3 scoreless innings with four strikeouts. The only thing that prevented Avitia from earning the save was GCU's mercy rule.
The game had the makings of a typical Friday night pitchers' duel early.
Sophomore shortstop Emilio Barreras came up with a two-out single in the second to get the Lopes on the board first. CBU countered with a run in the third before GCU reclaimed the lead on a two-out RBI single by junior designated hitter Michael Diaz.
It was the start of a season-high five RBIs for Diaz, who is hitting .400 on the season.
"Absolutely, just always being ready for my opportunity and taking advantage of it," Diaz said. "Simplifying every at bat, and being ready to hit in every count possible."
GCU broke through with a three-run fifth inning on the strength of home runs by sophomore first baseman Zach Yorke and Diaz. That chased CBU freshman starter Lukas Pirko from the game after allowing season highs of five runs and four earned runs.
"I saw him hang a change-up," Diaz said of his fourth homer. "(Hitting coach Nate) Causey has been telling us all game to see it up. Change-up was up. I just took a good swing on it and it got out."
Diaz was also a part of GCU's six-run eighth inning, singling down the left-field line to drive in two more.
"It was just the quality of his at bat," Wallis said. "You could see how locked in he was from his first at bat. Michael's pitch recognition against him from the get-go was outstanding. He took quality swings all night. He's been great for us."
The mercy rule-inducing eighth inning also included a three-run home run by senior second baseman Elijah Buries.
GCU hit three home runs on the night, the most at GCU Ballpark in over a year.
Barreras ended the night with a triple down the right-field line that grew the lead to 10 and ended the game an inning early.
The Lopes and Lancers continue the three-game set on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at noon.
The Lopes (27-18, 17-5 WAC) won a third straight game by double digits, a span in which GCU has notched 55 runs on 51 hits for its highest-scoring three-game stretch since 1988.
"Really proud of the guys," Lopes head coach Gregg Wallis said. "Their starter was really good. It was a great pitchers' duel for three, four innings. We made him work a little bit. We took some of his good off-speed pitches that are tempting, but they fall out of the zone. Our hitters showed great discipline, worked some deep counts. We got him out of the game and were able to get to their bullpen. It's a great Friday night win. We'll regroup. We know they're going to come back tomorrow ready to play."
With losses by California Baptist and Abilene Christian putting them in a second-place tie with Utah Valley, GCU's lead in the WAC standings extended from two games to three games
Reigning WAC Pitcher of the Week Grant Richardson recorded his third straight Friday night victory, striking out eight in 5 2/3 innings and allowing one run.
"Another great start," Wallis said of the sophomore. "He's really come into his own. Five starts in a row, including the midweek against ASU, where he's been dominant. It's great to see him going out there, establishing the fastball, throwing the power fastball, throwing the power slider. I don't know that I've seen a lefty with that kind of stuff in a long time."
Junior right-hander Daniel Avitia continues to work out of the bullpen in building back from time missed due to injury. Avitia picked up where Richardson left off, tossing 2 1/3 scoreless innings with four strikeouts. The only thing that prevented Avitia from earning the save was GCU's mercy rule.
The game had the makings of a typical Friday night pitchers' duel early.
Sophomore shortstop Emilio Barreras came up with a two-out single in the second to get the Lopes on the board first. CBU countered with a run in the third before GCU reclaimed the lead on a two-out RBI single by junior designated hitter Michael Diaz.
It was the start of a season-high five RBIs for Diaz, who is hitting .400 on the season.
"Absolutely, just always being ready for my opportunity and taking advantage of it," Diaz said. "Simplifying every at bat, and being ready to hit in every count possible."
GCU broke through with a three-run fifth inning on the strength of home runs by sophomore first baseman Zach Yorke and Diaz. That chased CBU freshman starter Lukas Pirko from the game after allowing season highs of five runs and four earned runs.
"I saw him hang a change-up," Diaz said of his fourth homer. "(Hitting coach Nate) Causey has been telling us all game to see it up. Change-up was up. I just took a good swing on it and it got out."
Diaz was also a part of GCU's six-run eighth inning, singling down the left-field line to drive in two more.
"It was just the quality of his at bat," Wallis said. "You could see how locked in he was from his first at bat. Michael's pitch recognition against him from the get-go was outstanding. He took quality swings all night. He's been great for us."
The mercy rule-inducing eighth inning also included a three-run home run by senior second baseman Elijah Buries.
GCU hit three home runs on the night, the most at GCU Ballpark in over a year.
Barreras ended the night with a triple down the right-field line that grew the lead to 10 and ended the game an inning early.
The Lopes and Lancers continue the three-game set on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at noon.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Richardson, Grant (3-0)
L: Lukas Pirko (5-3)
Batting:
2B: Josh Paino 1
RBI: Mitch Simon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jake Brown 1
Batting:
3B: Barreras, Emilio 1
HR: Yorke, Zach 1 ; Diaz, Michael 1 ; Buries, Elijah 1
RBI: Yorke, Zach 1 ; Diaz, Michael 5 ; Buries, Elijah 3 ; Barreras, Emilio 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Wilson, Tyler 1 ; Yorke, Zach 3 ; Paton, Eli 3 ; Diaz, Michael 2 ; Buries, Elijah 1 ; Gyselman, Alton 1
HBP: Gyselman, Alton 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
5
AB
5
R
0
H
3
RBI
2
AB
3
R
3
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
RHP
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LHP
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