Lopes return to Phoenix to face Chicago State

Friday, April 29 - 7 p.m. MST
	LHP Jake Repavich 3-2, 2.75 ERA	LHP Jake Perkins 3-5, 5.73 ERA
Live stats \| KXXT 1010 AM (Listen online) \| WAC Digital Network
Saturday, April 30 - 7 p.m. MST
	RHP Cameron Brendel 4-2, 4.84 ERA	RHP Justin Wyant 2-8, 5.54 ERA
Live stats \| KXXT 1010 AM (Listen online) \| Watch live
Sunday, May 1 - 12 p.m. MST
	RHP Tyler Wyatt 1-3, 5.45 ERA	LHP Josh Willis 1-4, 6.57 ERA
Live stats \| KXXT 1010 AM (Listen online) \| Watch live

PHOENIX -- Grand Canyon returns home after a season-long eight straight games on the road to face Chicago State in a three-game WAC series. GCU will look to turn a new page and snap a six-game home losing streak. The series includes Friday and Saturday games at 7 p.m. with a Sunday series finale at 12 p.m. All three games will be broadcasted on the GCU Radio Network with Friday's series opener also airing on the WAC Digital Network.

LAST TIME OUT
Preston Pavlica homered twice but the Lopes allowed three home runs in a 10-6 loss to K-State on Wednesday. The Wildcats pulled away after a 5-5 tie.

A day earlier, GCU and Kansas tied after the game was called in the 10th due to lightning. The Jayhawks scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth to force extras. GCU turned its fourth double play of the night to escape a jam in the ninth and advance to the 10th. The Lopes had two runners in scoring position with one out when the game was called. It was the 10th tie in program history.

Last weekend, GCU swept North Dakota to run its WAC win streak to four games. The Lopes scored five runs in the ninth to win the opener and won by sizeable margins in Games 2 and 3.

SERIES HISTORY
The Lopes lead the all-time series four games to one. In 2014, GCU swept the Cougars. Last year, the schools split a doubleheader with the series finale being cancelled due to weather.

In 2015...
Game 1: Grand Canyon managed just one run in a loss in frigid temperatures in Chicago.
Game 2: GCU scored three runs in the early goings while Coley Bruns threw a complete game, one-run victory.

PITCHING PREVIEW
Cameron Brendel was moved from Friday to Sunday in last weekend's series due to graduation and will move his way back up one slot in the rotation this weekend. Jake Repavich, who ranks fourth in the WAC in ERA, will make his second straight Friday night start. Tyler Wyatt is coming off of two consecutive impressive starts, one a four-hit game in the series finale at Seattle U and another an 8.0-inning, two-run effort at North Dakota.

Chicago State will start three juniors in the series. While the numbers may not be flashy for the Cougars' starters, all three are coming off of solid outings. Lefty Jake Perkins tossed 7.0 innings in a win over Northern Colorado, allowing just three hits and one earned run. RHP Justin Wyant threw the full 9.0 innings, allowing three earned runs. LHP Josh Willis will start the finale, coming off of a 6.0-inning relief effort without allowing an earned run.

SCOUTING CHICAGO STATE
Chicago State is 9-32 overall and 3-12 in WAC play. The Cougars rank last in the conference in both team batting average (.213) and earned run average (6.65). Chicago State's batting average is worst in NCAA Division I (No. 295).

The Cougars are coming off of their second series victory of the season and first in WAC play, topping Northern Colorado two games to one. Chicago State does rank No. 2 in the WAC in walks drawn (163).

Andy Gertonson is the lone Wildcat batter with a batting average above .300. Gertonson is hitting .307 with a .490 slugging percentage.

Steve Joslyn is in his fourth season as the head coach of Chicago State.

ON THE HORIZON
After just returning from an eight-game road swing, the Lopes will head back out on the road for five more games. GCU plays a two-game mid-week series at San Jose State on Tuesday and Wednesday before heading to Northern Colorado for a three-game WAC series.

For more news and notes on Grand Canyon Baseball, click on the 'GCU Game Notes' document above.

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Players Mentioned

Cameron Brendel

Coley Bruns

Zach Malis

Preston Pavlica

Jake Repavich

Brandon Smith

Tyler Wyatt

Grand Canyon University Athletics