Guerrero, Cunnings combine for 1-run gem in loss

Saturday, March 7

Charlie Monfort Field at America First Ballpark • Salt Lake City, Utah

2 p.m.

Grand Canyon

6-9

Utah

7-5

Grand Canyon

Utah

Photo by: Nathan Peters

3/7/2026 11:02:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Lopes can't push run across for 2nd straight game at Utah

By: Josh Hauser

SALT LAKE CITY — Grand Canyon received a strong pitching performance but could not find the offense to match it in a 1-0 loss at Utah on Saturday afternoon.

The Lopes (6-9) were held scoreless, falling in the second game of the series after also losing the opener. Despite the defeat, the GCU pitching duo of junior JT Guerrero and senior Cam Cunnings limited the Utes to a single run.

Guerrero delivered his best outing of the season, allowing just one run across six innings while striking out six and walking one. Guerrero scattered eight hits but prevented Utah from stringing together big innings, with the only run coming in the third.

Lopes pitching coach Nathan Bannister credited Guerrero's ability to attack the strike zone and mix his pitches throughout the outing.

"JT just pounded the zone," Bannister said. "He pounded it early with fastball and changeups and kept keeping them off balance. The second time, third time through, he adds the breaking ball. I thought he did a nice job mixing it well and being good and in good counts."

After Guerrero exited, Cunnings continued the strong work from the mound, tossing two scoreless innings of relief to keep the Lopes within one run heading into the late innings.

"When we hand Cam the ball, we expect that he's going to light a fire under our team and attack," Bannister said. "And that's what we asked him to do. He's doing it pitch by pitch really well. So we want to sustain that and give us a chance to win."

GCU's offense managed six hits but struggled to convert opportunities, finishing 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position and grounding into three double plays.

Junior first baseman Cannon Peery led the Lopes with two hits, while Jake Sanko, Billy Scaldeferri, Marcus Galvan and Troy Sanders added one apiece.

The Lopes' best chance came in the fifth inning when graduate second baseman Vince Bianchina was hit by a pitch and Sanders followed with a bunt single before a sacrifice moved both runners into scoring position. Utah escaped the jam with an inning-ending double play to keep the shutout intact.

In the seventh, a pinch-hitting Marcus Galvan led off with an infield single and moved to second on a bunt. But a strikeout and groundout ended the Lopes' threat.

The four-game series continues Sunday as GCU looks to grab a win and progress towards a series split. Junior lefty Chase Frey will take the mound for GCU.

"I just want to see attacking from first pitch," Bannister said. "The innings that they scored on us, they got the leadoff guy on, and then they played some offense. I think we can do a better job of getting out in front of that and getting the leadoff guy out and setting the tone for the rest of the game."

First pitch is set for 12 p.m. (Phoenix time).