SALT LAKE CITY (Interstat) — Colter McAnelly delivered a dominant performance on the mound, and the Utah Utes broke open a tight game with a six-run fifth inning to cruise past the Grand Canyon Antelopes 9-0 on Friday night at Smith’s Ballpark.

The game, the opener of a four-game series, was a stark reversal of pregame projections. Interstat’s game simulator had forecast a narrow 6-5 Utah victory, while its ELO system gave Grand Canyon a 54 percent probability to win. Instead, the Utes improved to 6-5 on the season, while the Antelopes fell to 6-8.

The story of the night was McAnelly. The Utah starter, coming off a loss last week at UC Santa Barbara where he allowed two earned runs in four innings, was nearly untouchable. He fired six shutout innings, allowing just two hits and striking out nine Antelopes batters. He walked two and did not allow a runner past second base, efficiently protecting a slim lead until his offense provided a substantial cushion.

That lead was built slowly early on. Utah scratched across a single run in the third inning when Kaden Long drove in TJ Arambula with a single to center field. Grand Canyon starter Garrett Ahern matched zeroes otherwise through four innings, not allowing a hit, though he struggled with command, walking four and hitting a batter.

The most important part of the game arrived in the bottom of the fifth, turning a pitcher’s duel into a rout. The Utes sent 11 men to the plate against Ahern and reliever Jace Smith. The inning began with a double by Coreyson Jacobs and a bunt single by Arambula. Cameron Gurney then delivered an RBI single to right, scoring Jacobs and ending Ahern’s night.

With Smith on in relief, the floodgates opened. A wild pitch and a walk loaded the bases before Kyson Donahue lifted a sacrifice fly to left, making it 3-0. Cal Miller then provided the biggest blow, a two-run double to deep right field that cleared the bases. After another walk, Matt Flaharty capped the explosive frame with a two-run single to right center, plating Miller and Drake Gilliam to give Utah a commanding 7-0 lead.

The Utes added their final two runs in the seventh when catcher Derek Smith launched a two-run home run off Grand Canyon reliever Josh Orr, scoring Gilliam who had advanced on a pair of wild pitches.

Utah’s bullpen preserved the shutout behind McAnelly. Dillon Fine worked two scoreless innings, allowing one hit, and Ian Culver pitched a perfect ninth to seal the combined four-hitter.

Offensively, the Utes collected 12 hits. Miller finished 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Flaharty went 2 for 5 with two RBIs, and Gurney was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Arambula reached base three times with two singles and a walk.

For Grand Canyon, which entered having won three of its last four including a road victory at Arizona, the offense never threatened. Zachary Peery had two of the team’s four hits, including a double. The Antelopes stranded five runners and struck out 11 times against Utah pitching.

The two teams continue the series Saturday afternoon.