GCU spends WAC bye weekend at Saint Mary's

Friday, April 5

Moraga, Calif.

3 p.m.

Grand Canyon

St. Mary's

Photo by: Ozzy Jaime

4/3/2024 9:28:00 PM | Baseball

GCU Notes

Lopes, Gaels meet for 4-game set in Moraga; GCU looks to extend weekend series win streak

By: Josh Hauser

Thursday-Sunday, April 4-7 \| Louis Guisto Field \| Moraga, Calif.

	SAINT MARY'S GAELS (15-10)	vs.	GRAND CANYON LOPES (15-12)

PITCHING PROBABLES

Friday, April 5 • 3 p.m.
Live Stats • Watch on ESPN+
LHP Derek Eaquinto (2-1, 3.74) vs. RHP Hunter Watkins (0-0, 5.27)

Saturday, April 6 • 11 a.m.
Live Stats • Watch on ESPN+
TBA vs. RHP Carter Young (3-2, 4.50)

Saturday, April 6 • second game
Live Stats • Watch on ESPN+
RHP Connor Linchey (2-3, 7.34) vs. RHP Connor Mattison (4-1, 2.75)

Sunday, April 7 • 12 p.m.
Live Stats • Watch on ESPN+
TBA vs. RHP Isaac Lyon (3-0, 4.28)

Grand Canyon will spend its bye weekend from WAC action playing a four-game series at Saint Mary's that begins on Thursday afternoon in Moraga, California.

All four games will stream on ESPN+.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

MATTISON'S MAGIC: GCU freshman righty Connor Mattison made history last Friday with a no-hitter against Sacramento State. Not only was it the program's first no-no in 42 years, it was the first by a freshman and first at the Division I level. Since, Mattison has picked up numerous accolades including WAC Pitcher of the Week, Perfect Game National Pitcher of the Week and D1Baseball.com Pitcher of the Week. Mattison was also named a Midseason Freshman All-American by Perfect Game.
TOP HITTERS ARE LOPES: A pair of GCU hitters that entered the season with zero hits as a Lope are atop the WAC. Senior outfielder Eddy Pelc has the team's top batting average (.379) and the conference's top on-base percentage (.467). Junior designated hitter Beau Ankeney leads the WAC with a .704 slugging percentage. Ankeney and Pelc enter the series with reached-base streaks of 17 games and 15 games, respectively.
NO ERRORS: One of GCU's strengths at the midway point of 2024 has been the defense. The Lopes rank top-10 nationally with a .981 fielding percentage. GCU has not committed an error in 17 of its 27 games and is 13-4 in those games.

SCOUTING

Saint Mary's is in its first season back under the direction of head coach Eric Valenzuela, who returns to Moraga after a stint at Long Beach State. Valenzuela was previously at Saint Mary's from 2014 to 2019 and led the Gaels to their first and only NCAA tournament appearance in 2016.

The Gaels are one of the best power-hitting clubs in the nation with a .549 slugging percentage that ranks 18th nationally and an average of 1.92 home runs that ranks 16th nationally.

Saint Mary's won two of three games in its first two West Coast Conference series (at San Diego, vs. Gonzaga). The Gaels also have two series wins over WAC opponents, winning three of four against Utah Valley and at Seattle U.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Lopes return to Phoenix for a midweek battle against Arizona State on Tuesday before heading back out on the road for a three-game series at UT Arlington.

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