Upcoming Event: Softball versus Pima CC on September 30, 2025 at 6 p.m.
Softball
6 p.m.
vs Pima CC
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Saturday, April 15
Phoenix, Ariz.
5 p.m.
Grand Canyon
31-14, 0
11
vs
0
CSU Bakersfield
6-28, 0
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
CSUB
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
6
Grand Canyon
4
6
0
1
X
11
10
0
Lopes cap off perfect weekend with 11-0 sweep
4/15/2017 7:36:00 PM | Softball
PHOENIXÂ -- The Grand Canyon softball program swept CSUB for the second straight season after an 11-0 shutout win Saturday night. The Lopes cruised to victory off explosive bats and near-perfect defense.Â
With the win, the Lopes improve to 31-14 overall and 6-3 in conference play.Â
Taylor Nowlin pitched a gem, throwing a one-hitter with seven strikeouts and just one walk. She earned her fourth shutout of the year.
Shea Smith led at the plate going a perfect 2-for-2 with a 3-run homer and four RBI on the day. It was her second home run of the season.
How it HappenedÂ
The Lopes got going early, plating four runs off big CSUB mistakes. Kendsey Hill started GCU off strong with a base hit through the left side. While, Laynee Gomez drew the free pass and Niki Gonzalez reached on an error Megan Stevens executed the perfect sac fly to get GCU on the board at 1-0. The Lopes continued to make the Roadrunners pay for their mistakes as Sierra Smith delivered a double scoring Gonzaelz and Gomez to go up 3-0. GCU stayed in pursuit as Shea Smith followed with an infield single, scoring her sister to extend GCU's lead to 4-0 in the opening frame.Â
While Taylor Nowlin and the defense kept CSUB off balance the entire contest, GCU started moving through the Roadrunner bull pen. GCU started the second off with CSUB's second pitcher of the day.
The Lopes weren't phased as Stevens sent a bomb to right center, scoring Gomez who reached on an error to put GCU up by five. Camree Wartman stepped right in securing first off an infield single, but it was Shea Smith who blasted out the 3-run shot to pile on the runs and put GCU up 9-0. GCU's bats continued to thrive as a Jenna Coates sent a rocket to left field driving Madelyn Dowdle across the plate for GCU's 10th run, putting the game out of reach.Â
While the third was quiet for GCU, the Lopes received great contributions from its reserves in the fourth. Back-to-back pinch-hit doubles from Jordon Keeton and Hailey Freeman secured the final run putting the icing on the cake for GCU with the 11-0 advantage.Â
It was Nowlin and the defense from then on as she continued her near perfect outing, taking out the CSUB offense to seal the sweep at 11-0.Â
Lopes QuotesÂ
Head Coach Ann Pierson
"Taylor (Nowlin) threw a great game, as close to a no-hitter as you can get and obviously, really proud of her. We had some really good defensive plays and we scored early which helped. I felt like we swung our bats well. We were able to capitalize on some mistakes and it was great because we got everybody in for opportunities. Really happy with the weekend overall, anytime you can sweep a series, I feel really good about that. We've just got to ride the momentum going into next weekend against Utah Valley.Â
Up Next
GCU hosts its final home games of the 2017 campaign as they welcome Utah Valley to Phoenix on April 21-22. The Lopes will play a doubleheader on Friday, Apr. 21 at 5 p.m. MST and 7:30. GCU will finish the series on Saturday, Apr.22 at 5. A Senior Day celebration will hÂÂÂappen at the conclusion of Saturday's series finale. ÂÂÂÂ
With the win, the Lopes improve to 31-14 overall and 6-3 in conference play.Â
Taylor Nowlin pitched a gem, throwing a one-hitter with seven strikeouts and just one walk. She earned her fourth shutout of the year.
Shea Smith led at the plate going a perfect 2-for-2 with a 3-run homer and four RBI on the day. It was her second home run of the season.
The Lopes got going early, plating four runs off big CSUB mistakes. Kendsey Hill started GCU off strong with a base hit through the left side. While, Laynee Gomez drew the free pass and Niki Gonzalez reached on an error Megan Stevens executed the perfect sac fly to get GCU on the board at 1-0. The Lopes continued to make the Roadrunners pay for their mistakes as Sierra Smith delivered a double scoring Gonzaelz and Gomez to go up 3-0. GCU stayed in pursuit as Shea Smith followed with an infield single, scoring her sister to extend GCU's lead to 4-0 in the opening frame.Â
While Taylor Nowlin and the defense kept CSUB off balance the entire contest, GCU started moving through the Roadrunner bull pen. GCU started the second off with CSUB's second pitcher of the day.
The Lopes weren't phased as Stevens sent a bomb to right center, scoring Gomez who reached on an error to put GCU up by five. Camree Wartman stepped right in securing first off an infield single, but it was Shea Smith who blasted out the 3-run shot to pile on the runs and put GCU up 9-0. GCU's bats continued to thrive as a Jenna Coates sent a rocket to left field driving Madelyn Dowdle across the plate for GCU's 10th run, putting the game out of reach.Â
While the third was quiet for GCU, the Lopes received great contributions from its reserves in the fourth. Back-to-back pinch-hit doubles from Jordon Keeton and Hailey Freeman secured the final run putting the icing on the cake for GCU with the 11-0 advantage.Â
It was Nowlin and the defense from then on as she continued her near perfect outing, taking out the CSUB offense to seal the sweep at 11-0.Â
Head Coach Ann Pierson
"Taylor (Nowlin) threw a great game, as close to a no-hitter as you can get and obviously, really proud of her. We had some really good defensive plays and we scored early which helped. I felt like we swung our bats well. We were able to capitalize on some mistakes and it was great because we got everybody in for opportunities. Really happy with the weekend overall, anytime you can sweep a series, I feel really good about that. We've just got to ride the momentum going into next weekend against Utah Valley.Â
GCU hosts its final home games of the 2017 campaign as they welcome Utah Valley to Phoenix on April 21-22. The Lopes will play a doubleheader on Friday, Apr. 21 at 5 p.m. MST and 7:30. GCU will finish the series on Saturday, Apr.22 at 5. A Senior Day celebration will hÂÂÂappen at the conclusion of Saturday's series finale. ÂÂÂÂ
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nowlin, Taylor (17-7)
L: Evans, Summer (5-12)
Base Running:
SB: Hipa, Chris 1
CS: Cavazos, Julea 1
Batting:
2B: Stevens, Megan 1 ; Smith, Sierra 1 ; Keeton, Jordon 1 ; Freeman, Hailey 1
HR: Smith, Shea 1
RBI: Stevens, Megan 2 ; Smith, Sierra 2 ; Smith, Shea 4 ; Freeman, Hailey 1 ; Coates, Jenna 1
SH: Gonzalez, Niki 1
SF: Stevens, Megan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hill, Kendsey 1 ; Gomez, Laynee 2 ; Gonzalez, Niki 1 ; Stevens, Megan 1 ; Wartman, Camree 1 ; Smith, Sierra 2 ; Smith, Shea 1 ; Keeton, Jordon 1 ; Dowdle, Maddie 1
PO: Freeman, Hailey 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
4
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
ph/1b
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF/C
/ Softball
2B/OF
/ Softball
3B/1B
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballC
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballSS
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballP/1B
/ Softball
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