PHOENIX – Utah Valley University's comeback attempt fell just short in a 4-3 setback in the series finale at Grand Canyon University on Sunday Afternoon at Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark. 
 
Utah Valley (6-13, 2-7 WAC) got two hits from Mitch Moralez, Kyle Coburn, Drew Sims, and Mick Madsen, who also hit his first home run of the year. The defending WAC Tournament champion Lopes (13-8, 6-0 WAC) used a balanced offensive attack to build an early lead before the bullpen held UVU scoreless in the ninth to hold on and sweep the series. 
 
"The team competed to the very last pitch. Grand Canyon proved to be the cream of the crop in the league, and we competed toe-to-toe with them on their field until the last pitch," head coach Eddie Smith said. "We need to find a way to make one more break."
 
GCU took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning on a Juan Colato base hit and added two more runs in the fourth on a two-run homer from Jacob Wilson. In the fifth, the Wolverines bats came alive with a two-out home run from Madsen to get the Wolverines on the board. The threat continued with back-to-back base hits from Coburn and Drew Sims before Cole Jordan popped out to end the threat. 
 
The Lopes scored in the home half of the sixth to extend their lead to 4-1. The Wolverines came back in the seventh, starting with a Madsen liner to right field to get aboard and later scored from second on a sharp base hit from Drew Sims to make the game 4-2. 
 
The Wolverines took advantage of two GCU errors in eighth to pull within a run at 4-3., One of the errors allowed Trey Cutchen to reach base and Moralez followed with a base hit to move Cutchen to second. The Wolverines had runners on first and second when Paul Vossen bunted, and the throw got past Colato at third base, allowing Cutchen to score. Kayler Yates later ripped a ball down the leftfield line that would have given the Wolverines the lead, but the umpire called it foul and the GCU bullpen then managed to pitch out of the jam from there to preserve the one-run lead.
 
UVU later put the tying run on the base paths in the ninth after Jordan was hit by a pitch before Vince Reilly got Cutchen to foul out to end the ballgame. 
 
Connor Markl (4-1) was credited with the win going 5.0 innings, allowing one run and four hits to earn his fourth win of the season. Mason Gray (0-2) took the loss for UVU throwing 2.2 innings while allowing one run on two punchouts. Nick Sims pitched well in relief and held GCU off the scoreboard in his 2.2 innings pitched on two hits and no runs. Reilly earned his third save of the year for GCU. 
 
The Wolverines return home to host BYU in the UCCU Crosstown Clash on Tuesday at UCCU Ballpark. The game is scheduled for a 6:05 first pitch. Utah Valley will then head back to the road next weekend to take on former WAC foe CSU Bakersfield in the Golden State for a four-game non-conference series.