Lopes head to Tucson for doubleheader


Grand Canyon Lopes (16-21, 5-4 WAC)	at	Arizona Wildcats (24-5, 6-1 Pac-12)
		Wednesday 4 p.m., 6:30 p.m.
Game Notes		Live Video Live Stats

GCU travels to Tucson to take on No.8 Arizona in a midweek doubleheader at Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium, beginning at 4 p.m. Most recently, the Lopes dropped their WAC series to Dixie State, moving them into a second-place tie with the Trailblazers in the WAC. The Wildcats took down WAC opponent New Mexico State last weekend, moving to 24-5 with two wins over the Aggies.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

LAST MIDWEEK: The Lopes take on the Wildcats in their last midweek games of the season. Arizona is also the last ranked opponent that the Lopes will face in the regular season.
SECOND IN WAC: GCU and Dixie State are tied for second in the WAC standings, just a half-game behind Seattle U.
THREE WAC SERIES LEFT: The Lopes are halfway through their conference season. GCU has two road series left: California Baptist (April 23-24) and Tarleton (Apr. 30 and May 1). Then, the Lopes will host Seattle U (May 7 and 8) to close out the regular season.

SCOUTING
No. 8 Arizona hosts the Lopes for the 12^th time since 2014. The Wildcats have a 24-5 overall record and are 6-2 in PAC-12 play. Most recently they Wildcats took down WAC opponent New Mexico State 11-5 and 8-0. Four Wildcats have started in all 29 of their games: Dejah Mulipola, Jessie Harper, Sharlize Palacios and Alyssa Palomino. As a team Arizona is hitting .329 with 246 hits, 196 runs and 54 home runs. They also have a slugging percentage of .600 and on base percentage of .418. In the circle the Wildcats have five pitchers, three of which who haul most of the innings. They have a combined ERA of 1.67 in 175.2 innings. As a staff they have given up 48 runs 42 which are earned and a batting average of .190. Redshirt freshman Janelle Meono has made a big impact in her first season as a Wildcat hitting a team best .466 in 24 starts and 27 games played. She also has a team high of 11 stolen bases. Catcher and redshirt senior Dejah Mulipola has an impressive .986 slugging percentage with a team best 13 home runs and 40 RBI. Mulipola also has a team high 21 walks and an on base percentage of .556. Redshirt senior and shortstop Jessie Harper has the most at bats for the Wildcats with 91 and has totaled 33 hits nine of which are home runs and seven of them being doubles. The senior has been solid defensively for Arizona as well with a .977 fielding percentage only making two errors in 29 games. Alyssa Denham is another redshirt senior for the Wildcats, and she has logged the most inning on the rubber with 82.1. She has made 14 starts and 16 appearances and has totaled a 1.87 ERA and a record of 12-4. Fellow redshirt senior Mariah Lopez has logged the second most innings at 46.1. In her nine starts and appearances she has earned a 6-1 record with 51 strikeouts and a .222 batting average against.

LAST TIME OUT
GCU hosted Dixie State for the first time in the Trailblazers Division I era on April 9 and 10. The Lopes dropped game one but bounced back and won the second game of the double header on Friday evening. Despite taking the lead in the middle of the game the Lopes fell in game three to the Trailblazers as well.

WHAT'S NEXT

The Lopes travel to Riverside, Calif. on April 23 and 24 to take on California Baptist.

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