The Air Force Falcons baseball team will travel to Phoenix to face Grand Canyon University in a three-game Mountain West Conference series from April 17-19, following an undefeated homestand. The games are scheduled for Friday and Saturday evenings, with a Sunday afternoon finale at GCU Ballpark.
This matchup comes as the Falcons look to build on their recent momentum. They hold a record of 17-18 overall and 8-4 in conference play, while Grand Canyon enters the series at 12-24 overall and 4-8 in the Mountain West. The games can be followed live through the Mountain West Network or StatBroadcast.
Probable starters for Air Force include Kayden Bradshaw (CF), Ben Niednagel (SS), Wyatt Hanoian (2B), Walker Zapp (DH), Tripp Garrish (RF), Luke Elmore (1B), Christian Taylor (LF), Cole Jenkins (3B), and Van Klein (C). On the mound, Gaines Estridge is set to start Friday against JT Guerrero, with Ethan Dillinger taking Saturday’s game versus Chase Frey; Sunday’s pitchers remain undetermined.
Historically, Grand Canyon leads the all-time series against Air Force with a record of 14 wins to nine from their time as Western Athletic Conference opponents between 1995 and 1998. Their last meeting was in May of that year when GCU swept a three-game set.
The Falcons have excelled this season in several statistical categories: they rank sixth nationally in stolen bases with 112, fifth in stolen bases per game at 3.20, twelfth in scoring at nine runs per game, and fourteenth in doubles with eighty-three. At home on Erdle Field, Air Force is unbeaten through eleven games—one of only two NCAA Division I teams still perfect at home this season—and has outscored opponents by sixty-four runs there.
Individually, Tripp Garrish leads the team with eighteen stolen bases while also topping charts for hits and runs scored. Freshman Wyatt Hanoian holds the highest batting average on the squad (.372) along with leading on-base percentage (.538) nationally ranked tenth. Catcher Walker Zapp returns from injury as designated hitter after being named preseason All-Conference and recognized among top collegiate catchers by D1 Baseball.
For pitching matchups, Estridge brings experience as rotation leader while Dillinger makes his fourth start of the year; both have contributed key innings throughout recent victories over Fresno State and others. Grand Canyon’s lineup features Jake Sanko (.336 average) offensively while pitcher Chase Frey stands out defensively for GCU’s staff.
