Upcoming Event: Baseball versus MLB Desert Invitational on February 13, 2026
Baseball
vs MLB Desert Invitational
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Friday, March 21
Abilene, Texas
4 p.m. (MST)
Grand Canyon
13-8, 1-0
3
at
2
Abilene Christian
14-9, 0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Grand Canyon
0
0
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
3
9
0
Abilene Christian
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
9
0
GCU opens WAC play in win column
3/21/2025 10:50:00 PM | Baseball
Lopes recover from early 2-0 deficit to win at Abilene Christian
ABILENE, Texas — Grand Canyon opened WAC play with a 3-2 victory over Abilene Christian at Crutcher Scott Field on Friday night.
The series features two of the WAC's top three teams in nonconference records. The Lopes (13-8, 1-0 WAC) took the first game in hopes of winning their 16th consecutive WAC series.
Junior first baseman Zach Yorke homered and doubled, and GCU rode a strong pitching performance from junior righty Isaac Lyon and sophomore righty Connor Mattison.
Abilene Christian (14-8, 0-1 WAC) jumped out to a 2-0 lead with single tallies in the first and second innings.
But Lyon held the Wildcats scoreless for the remainder of his five-inning start, and Mattison threw four scoreless innings in relief.
The Lopes scored single runs in the third, sixth and seventh innings, capitalizing on key hits from graduate center fielder Eddy Pelc and junior right fielder Josh Wakefield. Pelc and Wakefield each recorded RBI knocks, and GCU totaled nine hits on the night.
Grant Watkins homered for Abilene Christian, driving in one of two early runs that gave the Wildcats a 2–1 lead through two innings.
Despite stranding 13 runners, ACU couldn't break through against GCU's bullpen. The Wildcats managed just one baserunner over the final three innings.
The teams will continue the series on Saturday at 1 p.m. (Phoenix time).
The series features two of the WAC's top three teams in nonconference records. The Lopes (13-8, 1-0 WAC) took the first game in hopes of winning their 16th consecutive WAC series.
Junior first baseman Zach Yorke homered and doubled, and GCU rode a strong pitching performance from junior righty Isaac Lyon and sophomore righty Connor Mattison.
Abilene Christian (14-8, 0-1 WAC) jumped out to a 2-0 lead with single tallies in the first and second innings.
But Lyon held the Wildcats scoreless for the remainder of his five-inning start, and Mattison threw four scoreless innings in relief.
The Lopes scored single runs in the third, sixth and seventh innings, capitalizing on key hits from graduate center fielder Eddy Pelc and junior right fielder Josh Wakefield. Pelc and Wakefield each recorded RBI knocks, and GCU totaled nine hits on the night.
Grant Watkins homered for Abilene Christian, driving in one of two early runs that gave the Wildcats a 2–1 lead through two innings.
Despite stranding 13 runners, ACU couldn't break through against GCU's bullpen. The Wildcats managed just one baserunner over the final three innings.
The teams will continue the series on Saturday at 1 p.m. (Phoenix time).
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Mattison, Connor (2-0)
L: Reid, Dominick (4-1)
Batting:
2B: Yorke, Zach 1
HR: Yorke, Zach 1
RBI: Wakefield, Josh 1 ; Pelc, Eddy 1 ; Yorke, Zach 1
SH: Sanders, Troy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Yorke, Zach 1 ; Smolinski, Hunter 1 ; Sanders, Troy 1
SB: Wakefield, Josh 1
CS: Paton, Eli 1
Batting:
2B: Miesse, Maddox 1
3B: Arias, Nick 1
HR: Watkins, Grant 1
RBI: Watkins, Grant 1 ; Bussard, Louis 1
SH: Regala, Braden 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Watkins, Grant 1 ; Miesse, Maddox 1
SB: Regala, Braden 1 ; Watkins, Grant 1 ; Bussard, Louis 1
CS: Regala, Braden 1
HBP: Borho, Reese 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF/LHP
/ Baseball1B
/ Baseball❌ 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