Lopes close road schedule at New Mexico State

Friday, May 13

Las Cruces, N.M.

5 p.m. MST

Grand Canyon

New Mexico State

Photo by: Zach Campbell

5/13/2022 11:25:00 AM | Baseball

GCU Notes GCU Media Guide

GCU playing for regular-season title, at-large hopes in final 6 games of regular season

By: Josh Hauser

May 13-15 \| Presley Askew Field \| Las Cruces, N.M.

	NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES (18-27, 8-16 WAC)	at	#25 GRAND CANYON LOPES (33-17, 19-5 WAC)

PITCHING PROBABLES

Friday, May 13 • 5 p.m. (Phoenix time)
Live Stats • Watch
TBA vs. RHP Nick Hull (5-1, 3.55)

Saturday, May 14 • 1 p.m. (Phoenix time)
Live Stats • Watch
TBA vs. RHP Daniel Avitia (6-4, 3.36)

Sunday, May 15 • 11 a.m. (Phoenix time)
Live Stats • Watch
TBA vs. TBA

Grand Canyon heads back on the road for its final WAC series away from Phoenix. GCU and New Mexico State begin a three-game set in Las Cruces, New Mexico, on Friday at 5 p.m. (Phoenix time).

All three games will be broadcast on the WAC Digital Network. Fans will be required to make a free account to watch the game.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

RANK 'EM: For the first time in program history, the Lopes are ranked in D1Baseball.com's top-25 poll. GCU is ranked in four of the six major polls and is receiving votes in a fifth poll. The Lopes are ranked highest (at No. 20) in Perfect Game's ranking.
STRIKEOUT WATCH: As a team, the Lopes are eyeing the program's strikeout record. With six regular-season games remaining, GCU needs 20 strikeouts to set a new program record. Teams in 2018 and 1986 struck out 499 opposing batters, but no GCU team has reached the 500 mark for a season. The Lopes are on pace to finish with 538 before WAC tournament play begins. Freshman right-hander Daniel Avitia leads the team with 87 strikeouts and is three away from breaking a 68-year old program record for strikeouts by a freshman.
COLATO WITH THE BAT: Senior third baseman Juan Colato has quietly compiled one of the nation's top-35 batting averages. The San Salvador, El Salvador, native currently sits at .390 to rank 34th nationally. If his average holds, it would be the highest by a GCU batter since Michael Pomeroy hit .422 in 2012 at the Division II level.

SCOUTING

New Mexico State currently sits in last place in the WAC's West Division. While only the top four teams in the division will qualify for the WAC Tournament, the Aggies still have life due to the transitioning status of California Baptist and Dixie State. Thus, the Aggies sit two games back of Seattle U and one game back of Utah Valley for a spot in the tournament.

New Mexico State is looking to snap a four-game skid, but experienced some success with weekend series wins in two straight weeks prior to last weekend's series loss at California Baptist.

The Aggies hit .293 as a team (62nd nationally) and have a team ERA of 6.91 (242nd nationally).