PHOENIX – Despite strong pitching from starter
Coop Rust, Utah Valley University dropped the second game of the weekend series, 8-0, to Grand Canyon University on Saturday Night at Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark.
GCU (12-8, 5-0 WAC) used a five-run eighth inning to pull away from UVU (6-12, 2-6 WAC).
Cole Jordan led the way for UVU, going 2-for-3 offensively on the night.
The Antelopes scored two runs in the first inning to take the early lead.
Paul Vossen reached on a walk in the second inning for UVU before Daniel Avitia got Jordan to ground into a 1-6-3 inning-ending double play.
Utah Valley got runners on base in the third and fourth frames, with
Copper Hansen driving a ball to the top of the rightfield wall for a long single before being stranded. Vossen, in the fourth, doubled down the rightfield line to reach scoring position before Avitia responded with an inning-ending strikeout.
The Wolverines threatened again in the seventh with two outs, Jordan reached on a single to right, and
Garrett Broussard got on base after a throwing error which advance Jordan to third. RJ Elmore then got
Mick Madsen to groundout to end the inning.
Grand Canyon added five runs in the home half of the eighth inning to come up with the 8-0 victory and clinch the series win.
Avitia picked up the win for GCU, going 6.2 innings allowing three hits, and adding 11 strikeouts. Rust (1-2) went 5.2 strong innings allowing just two earned runs but was tagged with the loss.
Nick Sims threw 1.1 scoreless innings with one strikeout and one hit on the evening.
Jacob Wilson went 5-for-5 for GCU offensively, with Tyler Wilson adding a 3-for-4 night with a home run. Behind Jordan's two-hit game for the Wolverines, Hansen and Vossen followed with a hit apiece.
Utah Valley and Grand Canyon will finish the three-game series on Sunday, March 20 with a 1:00 p.m. MT/noon PT first pitch. The Wolverines will then return home to play neighboring rival BYU on Tuesday, March 22 with a 6:05 p.m. start in the UCCU Crosstown Clash. UVU then returns to the road next weekend for a four-game series at former WAC foe CSU Bakersfield.
