Non-conference sweep of Colorado Mesa ties Lopes to 3rd spot for 3rd straight poll this season
By: Jim Howell/GCU Club Sports Information Director
GCU Club Sports is proud to announce that for the third consecutive poll this season, the Grand Canyon University Club Baseball team is ranked 3rd in the latest National Club Baseball Association (NCBA) Rawlings Division I Poll. It’s also the 4th time that the Lopes have been in the No. 3 spot dating back to the final poll of 2018. It’s the highest ranking in the history of the program, and it’s the 9th time since the Lopes moved up to the Division I level last year that they’ve earned a spot in the NCBA Top 10.
The Lopes made sure not to hurt their national standing this past weekend as they swept their final tuneups before beginning conference play. The Lopes soundly defeated Colorado Mesa University twice, 10-1 and 8-3, at Gene Autry Park in Mesa. Now the road gets tougher as the Lopes begin defense of their first-ever NCBA Southern Pacific South Conference and SoPac Regional titles beginning this weekend in Tucson. The Lopes will battle the University of Arizona in a three-game SoPac series – beginning with a Saturday doubleheader, and winding up with a single game Sunday morning. First pitch both days is scheduled for 10 am.
The Lopes’ first home games in conference play happens Saturday and Sunday, March 2 and 3, when GCU will host the University of California-San Diego at the newly renovated Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark. The Lopes and Tritons will be a 10 am doubleheader on Saturday, and a 10 am single game on Sunday. Admission to the weekend series is FREE.
The entire NCBA D1 Rankings are listed below:
Rank | Team | Total Pts | Prev Rank |
1 | East Carolina | 370 | 1 |
2 | Penn State | 350 | 2 |
3 | Grand Canyon | 346 | 3 |
4 | Florida State | 332 | 5 |
5 | Oregon | 315 | 4 |
6 | Ohio State | 290 | 6 |
7 | Iowa State | 253 | 7 |
8 | Maryland | 222 | 8 |
9 | UC-Santa Barbara | 202 | 11 |
10 | Drexel (PA) | 156 | 13 |
11 | Wisconsin | 153 | 10 |
12 | Florida | 121 | NR |
13 | Michigan State | 108 | 15 |
14 | Texas A&M | 103 | 14 |
15 | Colorado State | 96 | 12 |
16 | Cal Poly | 88 | 16 |
17 | Western Washington | 76 | 17 |
18 | Alabama | 75 | NR |
19 | Central Florida | 60 | 9 |
20 | Boston College | 55 | 19 |