THE AGENDA
The OUAZ baseball will play five games this week against teams currently ranked in the top 25 of the NAIA Coaches' Poll. The Spirit will travel to Mesa to face No. 19 Benedictine Mesa on Tuesday. That games starts at 3 p.m. at Gene Autry Park. OUAZ then comes home to host No. 23 Vanguard for a GSAC series at Surprise Stadium. Friday's doubleheader will start at noon with Saturday's two games beginning at 11 a.m.
 
All GSAC doubleheaders start with a 9-inning game and are followed with a 7-inning game.
 
All five games of the week will feature live video on the NAIA Network and the host school Game Central portal, with the host school producing the content. The NAIA Network is available on Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, and Roku devices by searching NAIA. Live stats will also be available during all five games. Links for all the live coverage is available on OUAZ LIVE at OUAZSpirit.com/live.
 
ABOUT THE SPIRIT
OUAZ will start the week with a 17-12 overall record having won eight of their past 10 games. The Spirit are seventh in the GSAC and four-games out of first with a 7-9 mark in conference play. They are 12-3 at home this season and 4-9 on the road.
 
Entering Tuesday, the Spirit are batting .283 with a .736 OPS. They are scoring 5.90 runs per game while collecting 39 doubles, nine triples, and 10 home runs. The team has drawn 98 walks and struck out 176 times. They lead the GSAC with 83 stolen bases in 104 attempts.
 
On the mound, OUAZ holds a 4.31 earned run average (ERA) with a 1.51 WHIP. The staff has thrown one shutout and holds the opposition to a .277 batting average. The Spirit have tallied 231 strikeouts with 103 walks allowed while giving up 63 extra base hits, including 11 home runs.
 
OUAZ has committed 42 errors this season for a .959 fielding percentage. They have turned 17 double plays and caught 15 of 33 would-be base stealers.
 
AT THE PLATE
Austin Shumaker will start the week with a .420 batting average where he ranks fourth in the conference. He has seven multi-hit games this season and has hits in 11 of the past 12 games he has played. Shumaker has five doubles and two triples for a 1.019 OPS. He leads the team with 20 runs scored with 12 runs batted in. He missed the games last week with an injury.
 
Esteban Martinez went 9 for 20 last week and raised his batting average to .333 on the season. He leads the team with 34 hits and 15 walks. Martinez has two doubles, one triple, and one home run while scoring 21 runs and driving in 18. His current 7-game hitting streak is the longest active streak on the team.
 
Adrian Salazar has his average up to .323 with 30 hits and 20 runs scored. He is tied for the team lead with six doubles while adding a triple and a homer. Salazar has 10 multi-hit games and 15 RBI and he will start the week on a 5-game hitting streak.
 
Chandler Reynard has tallied 31 hits and he carries a .320 batting average. His nine extra base hits and two home runs are tied for the team lead. Reynard has a team-best 25 runs scored while posting 13 RBI and stealing nine bases.
 
Chuck Steele is hitting .253 with a team-best 19 RBI. He leads the GSAC and ranks seventh in the NAIA with 18 stolen bases.
 
Derek Hayenga is batting .310 with six doubles and 10 stolen bases.
 
ON THE MOUND
Travis Hawkins brings a 4-3 record and 3.73 ERA into the week. In eight appearance (six starts), Hawkins has thrown 31.1 innings and allowed 27 hits and 15 runs (13 earned). He has an opponent batting average of .237 with 32 strikeouts. Hawkins is seventh in the GSAC at 9.20 strikeouts per game.
 
Zack McLeod currently sits at 3-2 with a 3.82 ERA in nine appearances and four starts. He is holding opponents to a .269 batting average with a 1.42 WHIP. McLeoad has totaled 30 strikeouts and averages 8.80 per game.
 
Miguel Cirino is 1-2 with a 3.94 ERA and two saves. He has a 1.19 WHIP with a .207 opponent batting average in 32 innings. Cirino has recorded 32 strikeouts and averages 9.00 per game.
 
Cole Anderson carries a 3-2 record and 4.36 ERA in his 33 innings. Anderson has posted 28 strikeouts and only eight base on balls with a 1.70 WHIP and .345 opponent batting average.
 
Taylor Campos leads the Spirit with 14 appearances, all out of the bullpen. He holds a 0.98 ERA with two five. In 18.1 innings on the hill, Campos held opponents to a .164 batting average with 15 strikeouts.
 
ABOUT BENEDICTINE MESA
No. 19 Benedictine Mesa brings a 25-7 record into Tuesday's non-conference game. The Redhawks have won six straight and 11 of their last 12. They lead the Cal Pac Conference with an 11-2 conference record. They are 14th in the NAIA with a .326 batting average while ranking second at 11.44 hits per game. The Redhawks have a 3.31 ERA and 1.32 WHIP on the mound.
 
BenU leads the all-time series against the Spirit 6-2. That includes taking two of three in February at Surprise Stadium. The Spirit are 0-3 in games at Benedictine.
 
ABOUT VANGUARD
No. 23 Vanguard will make the trip to Surprise with a 22-10 overall record after taking three of four from No. 3 Westmont last weekend. After starting the season 18-2, the Lions are just 4-8 in their past 12 games. They lead the GSAC by percentage points at 11-5 in conference games. Vanguard is batting .303 as a team in scoring 7.31 runs per game. They rank seventh in the NAIA with a .217 opponent batting average and 11th with a 3.25 ERA.
 
The only previous meeting between the two programs was a 5-2 win by the Spirit last season in Surprise.