GCU plays at SJSU as MW race heats up

Friday, May 1

Excite Ballpark • San José, Calif.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

San José State

Photo by: David Kadlubowski

4/30/2026 11:30:00 PM | Baseball

Lopes looking to hold position for MW Championship qualification

By: Josh Hauser

PROBABLE PITCHERS
Friday at 7 p.m.	RHP David Thomas (3-4, 7.97)	RHP JT Guerrero (3-4, 5.64)
Saturday at 7 p.m.	LHP Jesse Gutierrez (0-4, 7.53)	LHP Chase Frey (2-6, 4.94)
Sunday at 12 p.m.	RHP Dylan Smith (2-3, 4.66)	RHP Garrett Ahern (1-3, 6.03)

Just three weekends remain in Mountain West regular-season play as the race for MW Championship qualification and seeding heats up. Grand Canyon visits San José State for a three-game series that begins on Friday at 6 p.m.

All three games will stream on Mountain West Network.

3 THINGS TO KNOW

SURGING BATS: GCU's offense surged in April, hitting .320 with a .510 slugging percentage and 17 home runs after batting just .240 in February and .255 in March. The Lopes also produced 98 runs and a .403 on-base percentage in 13 April games, signaling a clear shift to a more explosive and consistent lineup.

MW POSITIONING: If the season ended today, GCU would grab the sixth and final spot in the MW Championship. The season doesn't end yet, however, and GCU is just one half a game ahead of UNLV for tournament qualification.

STREAKIN': GCU junior outfielder Billy Scaldeferri has reached base in 20 consecutive games. Lopes junior designated hitter Trevor Schmidt is on a 10-game hitting streak.

SCOUTING SAN JOSÉ STATE

San José State enters the matchup as a historically established program with deep roots in West Coast baseball, dating back to 1890 and highlighted by a College World Series appearance in 2000. The Spartans have returned to national relevance in recent years, including a 2023 NCAA tournament appearance and Mountain West championship, and continue to play their home games at Excite Ballpark in San Jose. While the program has produced more than 100 MLB draft picks over time, its recent identity has been built on competitiveness within the Mountain West.

On the field this season, San José State has been a mixed-results team that shows flashes of both offensive explosiveness and pitching inconsistency. The Spartans carry a .270 batting average with solid extra-base production (90 doubles, top-50 nationally), but have struggled on the mound with a 7.32 ERA and elevated hits allowed rate. Their lineup is anchored by one of the league's top hitters in Alex Fernandes, who is batting .399 with a .525 on-base percentage and ranks among the conference leaders in multiple categories. San José State has picked up recent quality wins over teams like California, Fresno State and Washington State, but has also allowed double-digit runs in several conference losses.