GCU hosts Oklahoma State for 4-game set

Thursday, February 19

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Oklahoma State

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Photo by: Jayden Todd

2/18/2026 8:09:00 PM | Baseball

GCU Notes OSU Notes

Lopes opened 2017, 2020 seasons with home series victories over Cowboys

By: Josh Hauser

Thursday, Feb. 19 - Sunday, Feb. 22 \| Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark \| Phoenix, Ariz.

	OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS (1-2)	vs.	GRAND CANYON LOPES (1-2)

PITCHING PROBABLES

Thursday, Feb. 19 • 6 p.m.
Live Stats • Mountain West Network
RHP Parker Jennings (0-0, 40.50) vs. RHP JT Guerrero (0-0, 0.00)

Friday, Feb. 20 • 6 p.m.
Live Stats • Mountain West Network • Arizona's Family Sports
LHP Hudson Barrett (0-1, 5.79) vs. RHP Garrett Ahern (1-0, 0.00)

Saturday, Feb. 21 • 2 p.m.
Live Stats • Mountain West Network
RHP Mario Pesca (0-1, 12.00) vs. LHP Chase Frey (0-1, 8.10)

Sunday, Feb. 22 • 1 p.m.
Live Stats • Mountain West Network • Arizona's Family Sports
LHP Ethan Lund (0-0, 0.00) vs. RHP Nicholas Robb (0-0, 2.25)

After a fourth consecutive season of Grand Canyon opening a new season in the MLB Desert Invitational, the schedule turns a little more traditional as the Lopes will welcome in a nonconference opponent for four games. GCU and Oklahoma State begin a series on Thursday evening, with the Cowboys paying their third visit to Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark in the past decade.

The four-game series will be streamed for free on Mountain West Network with Friday and Sunday's games also televised on Arizona's Family Sports.

3 THINGS TO KNOW

LOPES AND POKES: GCU and Oklahoma State have an extensive series history, especially as of late. The Lopes welcomed in the Cowboys to open the 2017 and 2020 seasons. In both instances, Oklahoma State was ranked in the top 25, and in both instances, GCU won two of three games to take the series. GCU and Oklahoma State last met in the 2021 Tucson Regional amid the Lopes' first Division I postseason appearance. The Lopes also visited Oklahoma State for the 2022 Stillwater Regional but never actually played the host Cowboys.

BIG 12 BATTLES: The Lopes are preparing for their first Mountain West season with a 24-game conference schedule on tap. But behind the 24 MW games, the Lopes play a hefty amount of Big 12 games. GCU will play 16 games against Big 12 foes against six different opponents. GCU plays four-game weekend series against Utah and Oklahoma State, season-long three-game series of midweek games against Arizona and Arizona State, and additional midweek games against BYU and Kansas State.

STARTING ROTATION: Opening weekend's starting rotation of juniors Garrett Ahern, Nicholas Robb and Chase Frey yielded impressive numbers: a 2.92 ERA over 12 1/3 innings with 15 strikeouts and a .245 opponent batting average. Ahern (Friday), Robb (Saturday) and Frey (Sunday) return for this series against Oklahoma State, but it will be fronted by junior JT Guerrero making the Thursday start after appearing in scoreless relief in the season opener.

SCOUTING OKLAHOMA STATE

Oklahoma State enters the 2026 season looking to build on last year's NCAA Regional finals appearance, returning a blend of experienced position players and a deep pitching staff under 14th-year head coach Josh Holliday. The Cowboys finished 30-25 in 2025, went 15-12 in Big 12 play and advanced to the Athens Regional final. Offensively, OSU brings back proven run producers such as Kollin Ritchie and Garrett Shull, while veteran arms like Mario Pesca and Hudson Barrett anchor a staff that has ranked among the nation's best in strikeouts in recent seasons.

Through three games at the Shriners Children's College Showdown in Arlington, Texas, Oklahoma State sits at 1-2 against difficult competition. The Cowboys dropped their opener to No. 5 Arkansas, 12-2, and followed with a 10-1 loss to No. 19 Oklahoma, managing limited offense in both games. OSU rebounded Sunday with an 11-1, eight-inning run-rule win over No. 17 Vanderbilt, highlighted by Ritchie's career-high six RBIs and two home runs, as well as dominant pitching that held the Commodores to two hits.