GCU visits San Antonio for 1st road set

Friday-Sunday, March 1-3 \| Roadrunner Field \| San Antonio, Texas

	UTSA ROADRUNNERS (4-5)	vs.	GRAND CANYON LOPES (5-3)

PITCHING PROBABLES

Friday, March 1 • 5 p.m. (Phoenix time)
Live Stats • Watch on ESPN+
RHP Fischer Kingsbery (0-1, 4.91) vs. RHP Daniel Avitia (1-1, 4.22)

Saturday, March 2 • 1 p.m. (Phoenix time)
Live Stats • Watch on ESPN+
RHP Zach Royse (0-1, 3.60) vs. RHP Carter Young (1-1, 6.00)

Sunday, March 3 • 12 p.m. (Phoenix time)
Live Stats • Watch on ESPN+
TBA vs. RHP Connor Mattison (1-0, 5.63)

The Lopes leave the Grand Canyon State for the first time in 2024 to begin a three-game series at UTSA. It's the first of four trips to Texas this season for GCU. The three-game set gets underway on Friday at 5 p.m. (Phoenix time). All three games in the series will stream on ESPN+.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

AT HOME ON THE ROAD: While GCU gets its first road test of the season in San Antonio, the Lopes ended 2023 with tremendous road success. GCU posted a 14-8 road record but ended the year with eight straight road victories. The streak began at Nevada and continued into Texas where the Lopes logged wins at Tarleton State, Baylor and UT Rio Grande Valley.
WINNERS: The three-game set features a pair of programs that won at a high level in 2022 and 2023. GCU and UTSA combined to win 154 games and compile a .655 winning percentage. While GCU claimed the WAC regular-season title last season, UTSA finished second in Conference USA behind Dallas Baptist. GCU was No. 71 in the NCAA RPI rankings while UTSA was just behind at No. 75.
MISSING BATS: GCU's pitching staff has struck out 92 batters in the first eight games. That rate of 11.5 strikeotus per nine innings ranks 30th nationally. Freshman right-hander Connor Mattison has struck out 14 in his first two collegiate outings, while junior righty Daniel Avitia has struck out 13.

SCOUTING

UTSA holds a 4-5 record to begin 2024 in a schedule that is already heavy on WAC opposition. The Roadrunners split a four-game set to open the year against UT Arlington before defeating Tarleton State in midweek play and sneaking by Stephen F. Austin to open last weekend's Sugar Land Classic. UTSA enters this weekend after beating Houston by a run on Tuesday.

The Roadrunners finished second in Conference USA a year ago but have new digs in 2024 in the American Athletic Conference. UTSA went 21-8 in conference play but dropped its first two CUSA Tournament games.

Pat Hallmark is in his fifth season leading the Roadrunners after two seasons at Incarnate Word. UTSA was 32-33 in Hallmark's first two seasons before posting 38-win tallies in each of the last two seasons. The Roadrunners are aiming for their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2013.

WHAT'S NEXT?

GCU hosts a two-game midweek set against Oregon, a 2023 super-regional host, on Tuesday and Wednesday at GCU Ballpark. The Lopes then turn around and return to Texas to open WAC play at Stephen F. Austin.

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

Friday-Sunday, March 1-3 | Roadrunner Field | San Antonio, Texas

vs.

PITCHING PROBABLES

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

SCOUTING

WHAT'S NEXT?

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Daniel Avitia

Connor Mattison

Carter Young

Grand Canyon University Athletics