GCU, Arizona play season rubber match

Tuesday, April 30 \| Hi Corbett Field \| Tucson, Ariz.

	#21 ARIZONA WILDCATS (26-16, 14-7 Pac-12)	vs.	GRAND CANYON LOPES (25-18, 16-5 WAC)

PITCHING PROBABLES

Tuesday, April 30 • 6 p.m.
Live Stats • Watch
RHP Raul Garayzar (0-2, 8.71) vs. LHP Ben Smith (1-2, 5.57)

Grand Canyon and Arizona wrap a three-game season series on Tuesday night in Tucson. The home team has held serve in the first two meetings of the season series, setting up a rubber match at Hi Corbett Field.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

TOP 40 x 2: The Lopes are one of 12 teams nationally to rank in the top 40 in both batting average (38th) and ERA (34th). Other teams in the category include: East Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Oregon State, North Carolina, Duke, San Diego, Florida State, Kansas, UC Irvine and Fairfield.
SPLIT, SPLIT, SPLIT: Ever since about the fifth year of GCU's transition to the Division I level, the Lopes and Wildcats have played an extremely competitive series. Dating back to 2019, GCU and Arizona have split the last 12 meetings. The splitting theme includes this year's two matchups, where the home team has defended its turf. GCU will look to break that trend in Tuesday's rubber match.
STRONG STARTS: When GCU starting pitching is on, the Lopes are tough to beat. When GCU's starting pitcher makes it through at least five innings of work, the Lopes are 18-5. The Lopes are one of 14 teams in the country to pitch five shutouts this season.

SCOUTING

Arizona is 16-3 since March 28, a streak that has vaulted the Wildcats from an under .500 start to the season to the top of the Pac-12 standings and a top-25 national ranking. One of the Wildcats' three losses came to the Lopes at GCU Ballpark on April 16. As good as Arizona has been in the second half of the season, the Wildcats are coming off a series loss at Washington where all three games were decided by one run.

The Wildcats check in at No. 21 in the D1Baseball.com poll, returning to where they were the last time the Lopes and Wildcats met. Arizona is tied for first in the Pac-12 standings with Utah at 14-7.

Unlike Arizona teams of recent history, the Wildcats skew stronger in pitching than offense. They do not rank in the nation's top 100 in batting average, slugging percentage or on-base percentage. But Arizona does rank fifth in ERA (3.75) and 24th in WHIP (1.33).

WHAT'S NEXT?

GCU concludes the home schedule with a seven-game homestand beginning on Friday. The Lopes will host California Baptist for a weekend series that holds significant implications in the WAC regular-season race.

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

Tuesday, April 30 | Hi Corbett Field | Tucson, Ariz.

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PITCHING PROBABLES

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

SCOUTING

WHAT'S NEXT?

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Ben Smith

Grand Canyon University Athletics