FIRST PITCH
• After taking a week off, the OUAZ baseball team returns to action this week with a three-game series against Park Gilbert in Surprise Stadium. The game's will be the first on the new playing surface installed in the stadium following the 2019 MLB Spring Training.

• Game times for the series have been altered and the Thursday and Friday games will now start at 6 p.m. The Saturday game is still scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch.

• OUAZ enters the series winless this season after dropping all three of their games at the Maricopa Cup in January. That includes an 0-1 home record with the game they played on Rangers Field 3 in the season opener.

• First-year program Park Gilbert will make the trip across the valley where they open the series with a 6-3 overall record after sweeping Bethesda last weekend. The Buccaneers have won four straight overall and have yet to play a true road game.

• The two teams met on the final day of the Maricopa Cup with the Buccaneers rallying for a 9-8 win in the first-ever meeting between the two teams. After this weekend, the teams will play once more this season on March 11 at Park Gilbert.

HOW TO FOLLOW
• All three games of the series will be broadcast live on the OUAZ Digital Network available at OUAZSpirit.com/digital. They will also be available on the NAIA Network OTT app on Android TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku devices. Live stats will also be available for each game. Links for all live coverage are available at OUAZSpirit.com/live.

AT THE PLATE
• OUAZ enters the series with a .282 batting average where they are seventh in the GSAC. In their opening three games, the Spirit compiled a .758 OPS with eight extra-base hits (all doubles). Their 2.67 doubles per game rank 11th in the NAIA.

• The Spirit are 9 of 9 in stolen base attempts on the year and they rank second – and 13th in the NAIA –  in the GSAC by stealing 3.00 bases per game. 

• Ben Lewis is the team's leading hitter with his .385 batting average. He also leads the Spirit with five runs scored and is tied for the lead with three RBI. Lewis had two multi-hit games during the Maricopa Cup.

• Johnny Cherpak is hitting .364 with a team-leading 1.007 OPS. His two doubles are tops on the club. Cherpak had three hits against Arizona Christian and enters this week on a two-game hitting streak.

• Jordan Hollins hit .308 in the Maricopa Cup and is the only player on the team that had a hit in all three games. His totals include a double and two RBI with a .742 OPS.

ON THE MOUND
• The OUAZ pitching staff was knocked a round a bit during the Maricopa Cup where they finished with an 8.64 ERA. The staff holds a 1.92 WHIP with opponents batting .340 through three games.

• Gage Johnson had the best start of the season for the Spirit allowing just one run and one hit on four innings in a no decision at Arizona Christian. Johnson is eighth in the GSAC with a 2.25 ERA and he leads the conference in allowing 2.25 hits per nine innings. Hit .091 opponent batting average is second in the conference and 32nd nationally.

• Taylor Campos also took a no decision after allowing three runs on six hits with four strikeouts at Park Gilbert. 

• Hayden Sandman is third in the GSAC and 36th in the NAIA with a .100 opponent batting average while placing fifth in the conference at 9.00 strikeouts per nine innings. 

SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
• Park Gilbert will enter the three-game series batting .291 as a team with a .850 OPS in their first nine games of the season. The Buccaneers have 34 extra-base hits – 26 doubles – and they have stolen 24 bases on 28 attempts.

• Julian Garcia-Schroeder leads the team with his .407 batting average and 11 hits. Cade Maestas has a team-high 11 RBI and their only home run. Austin Chouinard is batting .375 with six extra-base hits.

• On the mound, the Buccaneers have a 5.63 ERA and 1.54 WHIP. They are averaging 8.33 strikeouts per nine innings with a .259 opponents batting average.

• Jair Reyes has gone 2-0 with a 4.85 ERA in his three starts for the Buccaneers this season. Aaron de Groot has also made three starts with a 1-2 record and 6.00 ERA while averaging 12.00 strikeouts per nine innings.

LOOKING AHEAD
• The Spirit will play five games next week, including a mid-week game against No. 25 Benedictine Mesa on February 11 at 5 p.m. on Royals Field 6.

• OUAZ will then begin Golden State Athletic Conference play with a four-game series against Hope International on February 14-15. The teams will play a doubleheader (9 innings then 7 innings) on both days.