Series Preview: North Dakota

The Grand Canyon University baseball team (25-20, 14-7 WAC) is looking for their seventh Western Athletic Conference series victory as they take on the University of North Dakota (10-23, 8-10 WAC) for a three-game series in Grand Forks beginning today at 3 p.m. (Arizona time). The Antelopes have won four straight conference series and remain in second place behind league-leader Sacramento State.

Radio: Independent Talk 1100 AM KFNX or www.1100kfnx.com (can also be heard by downloading the Tune In Radio app on a smartphone)
Play-by-Play Announcer: Michael Potter
*Friday's broadcast will air on a tape-delayed basis beginning at 5 p.m. in Phoenix. The remaining two games will be broadcast live.

Live Video: UND Insider (available by clicking here)

Live Stats: http://www.gculopes.com/

GAME NOTES
VS. NORTH DAKOTA
This marks the first meeting between North Dakota and Grand Canyon.

THE LAST SERIES
The Antelopes won their sixth WAC series in seven tries, taking two of three games from Seattle U from May 2-4. Andrew Naderer guided GCU to a 12-2 win in 8.0 innings in the series opener to improve to 7-3 on the season. Michael Pomeroy collected 8 hits in the series. In a non-conference meeting at No. 6 Washington on May 5, the Lopes led until the eighth inning, when the Huskies scored 5 runs en route to an 8-7 win.

FLAIR FOR THE DRAMATICS
GCU has played in 13 one-run games so far this season (4-9), including six straight from April 1-12. The Lopes have participated in 18 games decided by two runs or less.

SLAPPING HANDS ON SUNDAY
The Antelopes are 10-0 in games played on Sunday, outscoring the opposition 88-28 in those contests. Six of those wins secured series victories for the Lopes. Coley Bruns is 5-0 in Sunday starts, while Ethan Evanko has picked up three wins.

THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
GCU is batting .317 (176-for-555) in 17 home games this season as they are sporting a 13-4 record at Brazell Stadium. The Lopes have outscored their opposition 120-57 at home. The pitching staff boasts a 3.02 ERA (51 ER in 152.0 IP) while holding opponents to a .258 average.

GOING STREAKING
Chad De La Guerra and Michael Pomeroy are currently in the midst of double-digit hitting streaks, while De La Guerra has reached base safely in 22 consecutive games. Over his 15-game hitting streak, De La Guerra is batting .508 (30-for-59) with 12 multi-hit affairs. Both of those streaks are the longest for a Lopes player this season. Pomeroy has hit safely in 10 straight games (20-for-47, .426). David Walker recently snapped a 10-game hit streak from April 16-May 3 (14-for-40, .350).

DE LA GUERRA WITH THE BAT
Chad De La Guerra has 11 multi-hit games over his last 12 contests (26-for-47, .553). In 45 games, he has a team-best .364 batting average (64-for-176), 11 doubles, 4 triples, 3 homers, 35 RBI, and 20 multi-hit games. He is also a perfect 11-for-11 in stolen bases this season. De La Guerra was recently tabbed as WAC Hitter of the Week for April 14-20.
BRUNS GETTING IT DONE
Coley Bruns is 5-0 in 10 starts (12 appearances) this season for the 'Lopes, allowing just 22 earned runs in 68.0 innings for a 2.91 ERA. He has struck out a team-best 57 batters. Opponents are hitting .246 against the right-hander, who has issued just 15 walks. Bruns tossed three straight complete games from March 16-30, allowing just 6 earned runs over 25.0 innings.

WALKER'S WAY = GETTING ON BASE
David Walker leads the team with a .455 on-base percentage and is batting at .349 clip (64-for-169) in 45 games. He has 18 multi-hit games on the season, second only to Chad De La Guerra. Walker drew 4 walks in GCU's series clinching win over Northern Colorado on April 20, a single-game high for the Lopes. Walker was named WAC Hitter of the Week on March 10.

THAT'S A GOOD PROBLEM
Humberto Aranda and Josh Meyer have shared the duties behind the plate this season, both making the best of their time. Aranda is batting .314 (32-for-102) in 29 games (24 starts at catcher) with 15 runs, 7 doubles, a triple, 2 home runs, and 21 RBI. Meyer is hitting at a .273 clip (21-for-77) with 8 doubles and 22 RBI in 25 games (20 starts). Over his last 11 games, Meyer is 13-for-38 (.342) with two 4-RBI games, while Aranda has hit safely in 10 of his last 14 games.

POMEROY IS HEATING UP
Michael Pomeroy has heated up offensively as of late, collecting 11 multi-hit games since March 18 and batting .420 (37-for-88) in that time. Pomeroy had a season-best 4 hits and 4 RBI in the series finale at Seattle U on May 3 and has 7 multi-hit affairs in his last 9 games. He collected his 200^th career hit in the eighth inning at Washington on May 5.

AS A STAFF
GCU's starting pitchers have combined to toss 279.0 innings in 45 starts compared to 237.0 innings for opponents' starters. Andrew Naderer and Coley Bruns lead the staff with 80.1 and 64.2 innings, respectively. 'Lopes starters have collected 172 strikeouts while issuing just 69 walks as opponents are batting .254.

WHAT A RELIEF
GCU relievers Trent Wilson, Zebastian Valenzuela, Scott Serigstad, Malcolm Purdy, and Kyle Detwiler have combined for 84.2 innings of relief this season. Purdy leads the relief pitchers with 32.2 innings out of the bullpen and has picked up 4 wins and 2 saves in his last 9 appearances. Serigstad and Detwiler have converted two saves in as many opportunities, while Serigstad is limiting the opposition to a .176 batting average.

GCU-UND Notes

Grand Canyon University Athletics

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