Lopes launch in-state midweeks with Wildcats

Tuesday, April 13

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Arizona

Photo by: Garrett Ohrenberg

4/12/2021 9:13:00 PM | Baseball

GCU Notes Arizona Notes GCU Media Guide

GCU to play 4 games against in-state programs beginning Tuesday with Arizona

By: Josh Hauser

April 13 \| Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark \| Phoenix, Ariz.

	ARIZONA WILDCATS (21-9)	vs.	GRAND CANYON LOPES (17-14-1)

PITCHING PROBABLES

Tuesday, April 13 • 6 p.m.
Live Stats • Watch

RHP Chandler Murphy (3-0, 4.55) vs. RHP Jack Slominski (0-0, 0.82)

Grand Canyon begins its four-game schedule against the state's other two Division I programs when it hosts Arizona on Tuesday night at GCU Ballpark.

The 6 p.m. first pitch will be televised on FOX 10 Xtra (Ch. 45 / Cable 9), ESPN3 and "GCU" on YouTube with Barry Buetel, Mike Rooney and Kate Longworth on the call.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

ABOUT THAT PITCHING: GCU has featured lockdown pitching over a recent nine-game span. GCU's pitching staff has helped the team post a 7-2 record, featuing a sparkling 1.54 ERA and .169 opposing batting average. The Lopes have lowered their team ERA from 5.18 to 4.17 over the span. The pitching success includes a 26-inning scoreless streak against Northern Colorado last weekend.
BATTLE FOR ARIZONA: For the first time since 1999, GCU will host both in-state foes in Arizona and Arizona State. The Lopes and Wildcats are meeting for the fourth straight full season (COVID canceled last year's scheduled matchups) and have met 87 times overall. GCU won the most recent meeting 11-9 in Tucson in 2019. GCU and Arizona State will break a decade-long pause in the long-running series with a two-game midweek series next week.
YOUTH MOVEMENT: GCU's batting average leaders are three underclassmen — sophomore Tayler Aguilar (.366) and freshmen Elijah Buries (.366) and Tyler Wilson (.320). Freshmen or sophomores account for over half (51.2%) of the Lopes' hits on the season. Amid the youth movement, Channy Ortiz (.306) and Brock Burton (.304) have proven to be reliable seniors.

SCOUTING

Arizona features one of the nation's top offenses, ranking fifth with a .319 team batting average and sixth by scoring 8.5 runs per game.

The Wildcats sit in a three-way tie for third place in the Pac-12 standings and are coming off of a 2-1 series victory against California in Tucson. Arizona has a pair of GCU's WAC foes on its schedule in upcoming midweek matchups against New Mexico State and a season-ending weekend series against Dixie State.

The GCU-Arizona all-time series dates back to 1967 and features 87 meetings, including a 16-14 edge by the Wildcats in games at GCU.

WHAT'S NEXT

GCU resumes conference action with a four-game weekend series against a New Mexico State team that sits right below it in the standings. The series begins in Las Cruces, New Mexico, on Friday night.

For more GCU baseball news, notes and numbers, click here to view game notes and click here to view the media guide.