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
Saturday, May 4
Phoenix, Ariz.
7 p.m.
Grand Canyon
28-18, 18-5
14
vs
2
California Baptist
29-18, 14-9
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
California Baptist
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
2
6
1
Grand Canyon
1
2
0
1
1
9
X
14
12
1
Photo by: Rachel Sollazzo
Lopes continue red-hot roll, clinch series
5/4/2024 9:34:00 PM | Baseball
GCU clinches 13th straight WAC series, wins 4th straight game by double figures
Grand Canyon wrapped up its 13th consecutive conference series win, taking down California Baptist 14-2 in seven innings on Saturday night at GCU Ballpark.
GCU (28-18, 18-5 WAC) mercy-ruled an opponent for the third straight game. The Lopes have won four straight games by double digits for the first time since 1987.
The Lopes offense continued its red-hot tear. GCU has tallied 69 runs on 63 hits over a four-game stretch of .414 hitting, scoring 11 or more runs in four straight games for the first time since April 1993.
"They're (the offense) competing on every pitch," said GCU pitching coach Nathan Bannister, who served as acting head coach in place of Gregg Wallis (illness). "I think you can see the intent they have the last couple games. As a pitching coach on the other side of the baseball, you can see them wearing down pitchers. If you look at our innings tonight: 1, 2, 1, 1 and then a 9. It's almost like we're jabbing, we're jabbing and then we knock them out late in the game."
During the four-game offensive burst, GCU has had a batter log at least five RBIs in each game. On Saturday, it was senior left fielder Tyler Wilson's turn with a two-hit, five-RBI night that included a sixth-inning grand slam.
"I already faced (the pitcher) once earlier in the inning," said Wilson, who hit his second grand slam of the season. "I knew he was going to probably throw that change-up, that's what he got me out with the first time. I saw it up and I put a good swing on it. I thought it was going to be off the wall to be honest with you."
Instead of going off the wall, it went over the highest part of the wall in straightaway center and turned a 9-1 lead into a 13-1 lead.
It was the headline moment of a nine-run sixth inning that also included a home run by senior center fielder Cade Verdusco, three bases-loaded free passes issued by Lancers pitching and an RBI single by senior second baseman Elijah Buries.
"I think it started that Sunday last week back in Seattle," Wilson said. "It's just passing it to the next guy. Hitting is contagious. We saw it there, this past Tuesday at U of A, and then now these two past games. It's just keep going I guess."
On the second consecutive three-homer night for GCU's offense, sophomore shortstop Emilio Barreras hit the first of his career.
GCU pitching continued its successful run with a six-inning, one-run showing from sophomore Isaac Lyon who improved to 5-1. Lyon scattered four hits, walked one and struck out five.
Along with teammate Grant Richardson, the sophomore duo has been shutdown in the first and second spots in the weekend rotation. Over the last three weekends, they have combined to throw 36 2/3 innings, allow five earned runs (1.23 ERA) and strike out 47 batters.
"It's been awesome, it's great," Lyon said. "Me and Grant, roommates, we're really good buddies. So it's awesome to see him going on Fridays, throwing great. For me to come the next day and to keep it going. It's awesome being able to put away teams. We have one game tomorrow, get to go for the sweet. It's awesome to have that series behind our belt."
Already on their longest win streak of the season at six games, the Lopes will aim for a series sweep against California Baptist on Sunday at 12 p.m.
GCU (28-18, 18-5 WAC) mercy-ruled an opponent for the third straight game. The Lopes have won four straight games by double digits for the first time since 1987.
The Lopes offense continued its red-hot tear. GCU has tallied 69 runs on 63 hits over a four-game stretch of .414 hitting, scoring 11 or more runs in four straight games for the first time since April 1993.
"They're (the offense) competing on every pitch," said GCU pitching coach Nathan Bannister, who served as acting head coach in place of Gregg Wallis (illness). "I think you can see the intent they have the last couple games. As a pitching coach on the other side of the baseball, you can see them wearing down pitchers. If you look at our innings tonight: 1, 2, 1, 1 and then a 9. It's almost like we're jabbing, we're jabbing and then we knock them out late in the game."
During the four-game offensive burst, GCU has had a batter log at least five RBIs in each game. On Saturday, it was senior left fielder Tyler Wilson's turn with a two-hit, five-RBI night that included a sixth-inning grand slam.
"I already faced (the pitcher) once earlier in the inning," said Wilson, who hit his second grand slam of the season. "I knew he was going to probably throw that change-up, that's what he got me out with the first time. I saw it up and I put a good swing on it. I thought it was going to be off the wall to be honest with you."
Instead of going off the wall, it went over the highest part of the wall in straightaway center and turned a 9-1 lead into a 13-1 lead.
It was the headline moment of a nine-run sixth inning that also included a home run by senior center fielder Cade Verdusco, three bases-loaded free passes issued by Lancers pitching and an RBI single by senior second baseman Elijah Buries.
"I think it started that Sunday last week back in Seattle," Wilson said. "It's just passing it to the next guy. Hitting is contagious. We saw it there, this past Tuesday at U of A, and then now these two past games. It's just keep going I guess."
On the second consecutive three-homer night for GCU's offense, sophomore shortstop Emilio Barreras hit the first of his career.
GCU pitching continued its successful run with a six-inning, one-run showing from sophomore Isaac Lyon who improved to 5-1. Lyon scattered four hits, walked one and struck out five.
Along with teammate Grant Richardson, the sophomore duo has been shutdown in the first and second spots in the weekend rotation. Over the last three weekends, they have combined to throw 36 2/3 innings, allow five earned runs (1.23 ERA) and strike out 47 batters.
"It's been awesome, it's great," Lyon said. "Me and Grant, roommates, we're really good buddies. So it's awesome to see him going on Fridays, throwing great. For me to come the next day and to keep it going. It's awesome being able to put away teams. We have one game tomorrow, get to go for the sweet. It's awesome to have that series behind our belt."
Already on their longest win streak of the season at six games, the Lopes will aim for a series sweep against California Baptist on Sunday at 12 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lyon, Isaac (5-1)
L: Brandon Downer (5-4)
Batting:
2B: Ryan Kim 2
HR: Shayne Simpson 1 ; Julian Alvarez 1
RBI: Shayne Simpson 1 ; Julian Alvarez 1
SH: Michael Carpentier 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Shayne Simpson 1 ; Julian Alvarez 1
HBP: Nick Dumesnil 1
Batting:
2B: Wilson, Tyler 1 ; Gyselman, Alton 1
HR: Wilson, Tyler 1 ; Verdusco, Cade 1 ; Barreras, Emilio 1
RBI: Wilson, Tyler 5 ; Verdusco, Cade 1 ; Paton, Eli 1 ; Diaz, Michael 1 ; Buries, Elijah 1 ; Pelc, Eddy 1 ; Gyselman, Alton 1 ; Barreras, Emilio 2
SH: Gyselman, Alton 1
SF: Wilson, Tyler 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wilson, Tyler 1 ; Verdusco, Cade 3 ; Yorke, Zach 1 ; Paton, Eli 1 ; Diaz, Michael 1 ; Buries, Elijah 2 ; Pelc, Eddy 3 ; Barreras, Emilio 2
HBP: Buries, Elijah 1 ; Barreras, Emilio 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
5
AB
5
R
3
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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