GCU visits Stanford on idle WAC weekend

Friday, May 9 – Sunday, May 11  |  Klein Field at Sunken Diamond  |  Stanford, Calif.
	STANFORD CARDINAL (24-21, 9-18 ACC)	vs.	GRAND CANYON LOPES (28-20, 13-8 WAC)

As a heated WAC race takes its final turn, all Grand Canyon can do is scoreboard watch from afar as the Lopes travel to Stanford for a nonconference weekend. With GCU returning to Sunken Diamond for the first time since 2020, the series gets underway on Friday at 6 p.m.

The three-game series will be streamed on ESPN+.

 

3 THINGS TO KNOW

1. REMEMBERING: GCU last played at Stanford in 2020 as part of the 18-game reduced schedule before the season was halted. Current GCU assistant coach Channy Ortiz provided a memorable moment, hitting a two-run home run in the eighth inning to tie the series opener at 2-2. GCU went on to win that game 5-3 in 18 innings.





2. WAC RACE: The Lopes will sit the weekend out from WAC play and watch a heated conference race from afar. The No. 1 and 4 teams in the conference standings will play a three-game series as Sacramento State visits Utah Valley. Abilene Christian is also in the race for the pennant and will host Tarleton State for three. GCU could emerge from the weekend in a three-way tie for first if Utah Valley wins two of three against Sacramento State and Abilene Christian loses at least one game to Tarleton State.





3. YORKE IN THE RECORDS: Junior first baseman Zach Yorke is chasing history as the regular season comes to a close. The new holder of the program’s Division I career home runs record after hitting his 30th and 31st homers on Tuesday, Yorke is also one RBI away from breaking a tie with Jacob Wilson for D-I career RBIs. Yorke also needs four hits to reach the 200-hit mark.
   
    

SCOUTING STANFORD

Stanford enters its final home series against Grand Canyon with a 24-21 record and a team searching for consistency following a challenging ACC debut campaign. After opening the season with a perfect 9-0 start—including sweeps of Cal State Fullerton and Washington—the Cardinal have gone 9-18 since March 21, struggling in conference play with an 8.28 ERA and allowing 31 home runs in those games.

Despite its 9-18 ACC record, Stanford remains formidable out of conference at 15-3 and boasts a deep, experienced roster that returned nearly all of its at bats and innings from 2024. Offensive production has been steady, averaging 6.40 runs per game with a .300 team batting average and 53 home runs through 45 games. The Cardinal will host senior day on Sunday.

 

WHAT’S NEXT?

GCU plays its nonconference finale at Arizona State before finishing the regular season at Tarleton State.
 

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