GCU’s pitching trio of senior Nick Hull, junior Eli Ankeney and junior Vince Reilly did not allow an earned run and struck out 16 Lancers (7-1, 0-1 WAC). It was the most strikeouts in a nine-inning game by GCU (5-4, 1-0 WAC) since April 13, 2018, at UT Rio Grande Valley.
While the pitching staff was keeping CBU in check, junior right fielder Tayler Aguilar came up clutch in a back-and-forth eighth inning. With two outs, Aguilar hit his second home run of the season to break a 1-1 stalemate. Sophomore first baseman Elijah Buries was hit by a pitch earlier in the frame and came around to score on Aguilar’s long ball.
GCU’s bullpen took it from there, recording six strikeouts in the final two frames. Ankeney struck out five batters in his two innings of work, earning his first collegiate win. Reilly picked up his second save of the season after picking up three strikeouts of his own.
The Lopes picked up their first run of conference play in the second inning. Aguilar led the inning off with a triple down the right field line and scored on an infield single by senior third baseman Juan Colato.
GCU’s 1-0 lead held until the bottom of the fifth when the Lancers forced a tie. Two of CBU’s six hits on the night came in a three-batter span, the latter an RBI single through the hole at shortstop.
The game-defining eighth inning had its peaks and valleys. Sophomore center fielder Homer Bush Jr. reached on an error before Buries was hit by a pitch. What would have been a well-executed slash bunt by sophomore shortstop Jacob Wilson instead turned into trouble for GCU, as Wilson’s line drive was gloved by CBU’s third baseman who turned a double play. Aguilar made sure the Lopes’ promising inning did not go amiss, as his eighth career home run gave GCU a late go-ahead homer for the second straight game.
The Lopes and Lancers play the second of three games on Saturday at 6 p.m. (Phoenix time).
Press Release courtesy of Grand Canyon University Athletics. – Josh Hauser
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