SACRAMENTO -- After having its midweek game at the University of Washington washed out due to rain, the Sacramento State baseball team can now focus all its attention on rejoining the race in the Western Athletic Conference, playing host to West Division leading Grand Canyon this weekend at John Smith Field. The Hornets and 'Lopes lock horns beginning Friday (March 25) under the lights at 6 p.m., with game two scheduled for Saturday (March 26) at 4 p.m. The two then battle in the series finale on Sunday (March 27) at Noon.
PLAY BALL…
WHAT: Grand Canyon (14-8, 6-0 WAC) at Sacramento State (10-10, 2-4 WAC)
WHEN: Friday-Saturday, March 25-27, 2022
TIME: 6 p.m. PT / 4 p.m. PT / Noon PT
WHERE: Sacramento, Calif.
STADIUM: John Smith Field (1,200)
WATCH: ESPN+ - Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
LIVE STATS: HornetStats.com - Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3
GAME NOTES: Sacramento State | Grand Canyon Baseball
SUNDAY=FUNDAY...
Every Sunday home game at John Smith Field, kids in attendance will be invited to head down to the field after the game, run the bases like their favorite Hornets, and grab autographs from the players. Single-game tickets are available at the gate, by contacting the ticket office at (916) 278-4323, or online at HornetSports.com.
IN THE RANKINGS...
Grand Canyon is among those receiving votes in the NCBWA poll as of March 21... Sacramento State is unranked... The Hornets are ranked as high as No. 20 in the nation on Feb. 28 following a 7-0 start, also ranking No. 23 in the D1 Baseball poll, No. 24 by the NCBWA, and No. 25 in the USA Today coaches poll... It marked the first time in the program's Division I history that Sacramento State has appeared in those respective rankings... The Hornets debuted in the national polls for the first time as a Division I program in 2021, coming in at No. 24 in back-to-back weeks in the Collegiate Baseball poll on April 5 and 12.
SCOUTING GRAND CANYON...
The 'Lopes enter the weekend with a 14-8 overall record, winning their last five consecutive games after a split with No. 5 Oregon State, a sweep of conference rival Utah Valley, and a win over in-state rival Arizona State... Grand Canyon is a perfect 6-0 in league play, adding a road sweep of California Baptist to sit atop the WAC's West Division... GCU is 8-3 away from home this season, winning seven of its last eight... The 'Lopes are hitting .304 as a team led by reigning WAC Hitter of the Week, Jacob Wilson, who is batting .427 with 10 doubles, eight home runs, 23 runs scored, and 34 RBI... Four teammates are hitting better than .300 on the year... Reigning WAC Pitcher of the Week Daniel Avitia (2-2, 1.46 ERA) is part of a pitching staff that has posted a 4.18 ERA and held opposing hitters to a .254 average in 22 games.
AGAINST THE 'LOPES...
Sacramento State holds a narrow, 19-16, advantage in the series with Grand Canyon according to records that date back to 1986... The 'Lopes have won four of the last five meetings with the Hornets, taking three of four from Sacramento State in Northern California last year and a win in the WAC Tournament... Two of those five games have been decided by the run-rule... The Hornets' last win in the series came in last year's series finale by a 3-2 score on May 2... Each school has won three times in the six series played in Sacramento, with the Hornets posting an 11-8 record against the 'Lopes at home in the series.
