Series at Utah Tech starts Thursday

Thursday-Saturday, April 17-19 \| Bruce Hurst Field \| Saint George, Utah

	UTAH TECH TRAILBLAZERS (15-20, 1-8 WAC)	vs.	GRAND CANYON LOPES (22-14, 9-3 WAC)

PITCHING PROBABLES

Thursday, April 17 • 3 p.m. (Phoenix time)
Live Stats • Watch on ESPN+
LHP Brock Roundy (2-1, 6.31) vs. RHP Isaac Lyon (3-3, 3.35)

Friday, April 18 • 5 p.m. (Phoenix time)
Live Stats • Watch on ESPN+
RHP Cade Montgomery (4-1, 2.05) vs. RHP Garrett Ahern (4-2, 5.01)

Saturday, April 19 • 11 a.m. (Phoenix time)
Live Stats • Watch on ESPN+
RHP Ryan Martinez (1-1, 3.88) vs. TBA

Grand Canyon takes to the road for the final time before an approaching 19-day break from road competition following the series. GCU is in a first-place tie atop the WAC with Utah Valley. The Lopes will meet Utah Tech for a three-game series that starts a day early due to the Easter holiday. Thursday's first pitch was moved two hours earlier due to weather concerns, with the series now getting underway at 3 p.m. (Phoenix time).

All three games of the series will be streamed on ESPN+.

3 THINGS TO KNOW

THE LYONS IN ST. GEORGE: GCU strongest connection to Utah Tech comes from junior right-hander Isaac Lyon. The Lopes' scheduled series-opening starting pitcher hails from nearby Santa Clara, Utah. Isaac's dad, Brandon, played his college baseball at Utah Tech (then Dixie State) and is in the school's hall of fame. He went on to enjoy a 12-year MLB pitching career. Brandon's No. 9 jersey is featured on the Trailblazers' outfield wall with Isaac also sporting the No. 9 for GCU. Isaac's younger brother, Andrew, is a senior in high school and is signed to join the Lopes program next season.

AT HOME ON THE ROAD: The Lopes have enjoyed extreme levels of success within the WAC, currently possessing a four-season streak of WAC regular-season titles. That success has included winning results on the road. GCU enters the Utah Tech series having won 21 consecutive WAC road series, last dropping one in 2019. Most recently, GCU swept California Baptist in Riverside, California, two weeks ago.

LAST TIME IN ST. GEORGE: GCU is returning to St. George for the first time since 2022. The Lopes won games 7-2, 14-3 and 6-5 in that visit in a season that eventually culminated with an at-large bid to the NCAA tourney. Senior outfielder Maxwell Andeel is the only remaining member of the roster, and he hit a home run in that 2022 series. Lopes head coach Gregg Wallis (then a GCU assistant) is the only remaining coach from that visit.

SCOUTING UTAH TECH

Utah Tech has endured an up-and-down season marked by a hot March but a slow start to WAC play. Under the leadership of 13th-year head coach Chris Pfatenhauer, the Trailblazers surged late in March with wins in eight of their final ten games, including a four-game sweep of CSU Bakersfield. Sophomore second baseman Kyle McDaniel has emerged as a standout, batting .378 with a team-best 48 hits and 23 walks while riding a 21-game on-base streak. On the mound, sophomore right-hander Cade Montgomery has been the bright spot on the staff, posting a WAC-best 2.05 ERA and a 4-1 record in eight starts.

The Trailblazers have nonconference series wins over Saint Mary's and Cal State Bakersfield while splitting with Northern Colorado and Portland. Utah Tech opened conference play with a 10-inning road win at California Baptist on March 21. However, the Trailblazers have lost eight consecutive conference contests including dropping the series to CBU and getting swept by Utah Valley and Abilene Christian.

WHAT'S NEXT?

GCU opens a season-long nine-game homestand where the Lopes will host Arizona State, UT Arlington, BYU, Sacramento State and Arizona.

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

Thursday-Saturday, April 17-19 | Bruce Hurst Field | Saint George, Utah

vs.

PITCHING PROBABLES

3 THINGS TO KNOW

SCOUTING UTAH TECH

WHAT'S NEXT?

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Garrett Ahern

Maxwell Andeel

Isaac Lyon

Grand Canyon University Athletics