Completed Event: Baseball versus Cal State Fullerton on November 8, 2025 ,
Baseball
vs Cal State Fullerton
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Saturday, March 8
Phoenix, Ariz.
6 p.m.
Grand Canyon
10-4
7
vs
6
Texas Tech
3-10
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Texas Tech
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
2
1
6
11
4
Grand Canyon
1
0
4
2
0
0
0
0
X
7
7
1
Photo by: Jayden Todd
GCU hangs on to clinch Texas Tech series
3/8/2025 10:05:00 PM | Baseball
Lopes build 7-2 lead, survive late scare to win 3rd straight game
Grand Canyon built a 7-3 lead and held on late to post a 7-6 victory and clinch the series over Texas Tech on Saturday night at GCU Ballpark.
The Lopes (10-4) jumped ahead in the first inning and took control with a four-run third, capitalizing on timely hitting and defensive miscues from the Red Raiders (3-10). GCU extended its lead to 7-3 with two more runs in the fourth, and the pitching staff did just enough to contain Texas Tech's late comeback attempt.
Senior closer Walter Quinn stranded the tying run on second base in the ninth to earn his third save of the season.
GCU has won three straight games and has won all three of its weekend series.
GCU's offense was led by junior shortstop Emilio Barreras, who went 2 for 5 with a double and a run scored, while junior first baseman Zach Yorke drove in a run and reached base twice. Junior right fielder Josh Wakefield provided a spark at the top of the order, collecting two hits, scoring twice and swiping a pair of bases.
Wakefield almost single-handedly scored the game's first run. In the first inning, he singled, stole second, moved to third on an out and scored on a wild pitch.
After Texas Tech struck for three in the third inning, GCU quickly responded with a four-run frame to reclaim the lead.
It again began with Wakefield, who opened the inning with a single. Yorke drove him in on a single. The Lopes drew three straight walks including a bases-loaded walk by sophomore pinch-hitter Kade Huff to tie the score. Senior left fielder Michael Diaz drove in a run on a groundout, and sophomore catcher Marcus Galvan came up with a two-out single to score another.
The Lopes exited the inning with a 5-3 lead.
In the very next frame, senior third baseman Eli Paton homered for the fourth time this season to build the lead to 7-3.
Following sophomore Garrett Ahern's four-inning start, junior righty Elijah Higginbottom was strong in relief. He pitched the fifth, sixth and seventh innings scoreless until encountering some trouble in the eighth.
Texas Tech scored two runs on four hits in the eighth and one run on two hits in the ninth to pull within one. But a groundout to short ended the ninth with the tying run on second to seal the victory.
The Lopes' pitching staff combined for 10 strikeouts while allowing 11 hits and five walks.
Grand Canyon will look to log its first series sweep of the season when the teams reconvene for a 1 p.m. first pitch on Sunday.
The Lopes (10-4) jumped ahead in the first inning and took control with a four-run third, capitalizing on timely hitting and defensive miscues from the Red Raiders (3-10). GCU extended its lead to 7-3 with two more runs in the fourth, and the pitching staff did just enough to contain Texas Tech's late comeback attempt.
Senior closer Walter Quinn stranded the tying run on second base in the ninth to earn his third save of the season.
GCU has won three straight games and has won all three of its weekend series.
GCU's offense was led by junior shortstop Emilio Barreras, who went 2 for 5 with a double and a run scored, while junior first baseman Zach Yorke drove in a run and reached base twice. Junior right fielder Josh Wakefield provided a spark at the top of the order, collecting two hits, scoring twice and swiping a pair of bases.
Wakefield almost single-handedly scored the game's first run. In the first inning, he singled, stole second, moved to third on an out and scored on a wild pitch.
After Texas Tech struck for three in the third inning, GCU quickly responded with a four-run frame to reclaim the lead.
It again began with Wakefield, who opened the inning with a single. Yorke drove him in on a single. The Lopes drew three straight walks including a bases-loaded walk by sophomore pinch-hitter Kade Huff to tie the score. Senior left fielder Michael Diaz drove in a run on a groundout, and sophomore catcher Marcus Galvan came up with a two-out single to score another.
The Lopes exited the inning with a 5-3 lead.
In the very next frame, senior third baseman Eli Paton homered for the fourth time this season to build the lead to 7-3.
Following sophomore Garrett Ahern's four-inning start, junior righty Elijah Higginbottom was strong in relief. He pitched the fifth, sixth and seventh innings scoreless until encountering some trouble in the eighth.
Texas Tech scored two runs on four hits in the eighth and one run on two hits in the ninth to pull within one. But a groundout to short ended the ninth with the tying run on second to seal the victory.
The Lopes' pitching staff combined for 10 strikeouts while allowing 11 hits and five walks.
Grand Canyon will look to log its first series sweep of the season when the teams reconvene for a 1 p.m. first pitch on Sunday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Higginbottom, Elijah (2-0)
L: Parish, Trendan (0-3)
S: Quinn, Walter (3)
Batting:
2B: Villeneuve, R. 1 ; Rivers, Davis 1
RBI: Bravo, Damian 1 ; Hughes, Logan 2 ; Lopez, Tracer 1 ; Johnson, Kendyl 1
SH: Pompey, TJ 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Thompson, Kyler 1 ; Bravo, Damian 1 ; Villeneuve, R. 1 ; Rivers, Davis 2 ; Johnson, Kendyl 1
SB: Thompson, Kyler 1 ; Bravo, Damian 1 ; Lopez, Tracer 1 ; Johnson, Kendyl 1
HBP: Thompson, Kyler 1 ; Bravo, Damian 1 ; Savaterre, Antonelli 1
Batting:
2B: Barreras, Emilio 1
HR: Paton, Eli 1
RBI: Yorke, Zach 1 ; Paton, Eli 2 ; Huff, Kade 1 ; Diaz, Michael 1 ; Galvan, Marcus 1
SH: Sanders, Troy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wakefield, Josh 2 ; Barreras, Emilio 1 ; Yorke, Zach 1 ; Paton, Eli 2 ; Pelc, Eddy 1
SB: Wakefield, Josh 2 ; Pelc, Eddy 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
C/3B
/ Baseball
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