GCU wins Silver Bracket at Tournament of Champions

Softball

4-5-09

TURLOCK, Calif. -- Grand Canyon went unbeaten Sunday to win the Silver Bracket at the Tournament of Champions.

GCU beat Chico State, 10-5, St. Martin's, 13-0 in five innings, and Central Washington, 5-2, at the prestigious West Region tournament hosted by Cal State Stanislaus.

The Antelopes (32-22) will play No. 5 Humboldt State, the defending NCAA Division II national champs, at 10 a.m. Monday on a neutral field before returning back to Phoenix.

Grand Canyon first baseman Randi Johns was named to the all-tournament team.

In the Silver Bracket title game against Central Washington, Natasha Dypchey (pictured main page) went the distance in her first start since injurying her back last month, allowing six hits, two runs, one earned and a walk to pick up her sixth win of the season.

GCU scored three runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth to take a four-run lead, and held on by allowing Central Washington (18-15) to score just once in the top of the seventh.

Kelli Bridges went 2 for 3 with an RBI, Kara Holtorf was 2 for 4 with an RBI, Tracy Lubken went 3 for 3 and Yasmeen Watkins went 1 for 4, driving in two runs.

The Lopes pounded 14 hits against Chico State, going deep twice to exact some revenge on the Wildcats for an earlier loss this season. Watkins (pictured right) went 4 for 4 with a home run and three RBI. Tracy Lubken was 2 for 3 with a homer and three RBI. Brittney Wojtowicz was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Sammi Tiefenthaler, used in a designated player role, and Erika Reay each collected two hits. Tiefenthaler drove in a pair of runs.

GCU scored five times in the first inning, and extended its lead to 8-3 after putting three more runs on the board in the third.

Antelopes junior pitcher Jessica Palma won her school record-tying 14th game of the season, allowing 14 hits, five runs, three earned, and two walks.

Grand Canyon blitzed St. Martin's, scoring in each of the first four innings while hammering 15 hits. Tiefenthaler went the distance, allowing five hits and no walks in the shutout. It was her third shutout of the season. She improved to 12-11.

Johns went 3 for 4 with a double and four RBI. She leads the team with 61 runs batted in. Watkins was 3 for 4 with three RBI. Reay had three hits in three trips to the plate. Wojtowicz was 2 for 3 with three RBI.

Six Antelopes drove in runs in the game.

Gold Bracket Winner: Hawaii Pacific

Gold Bracket Runner-Up: Cal State Dominguez Hills

Silver Bracket Winner: Grand Canyon

Silver Bracket Runner-Up: Central Washington

Bronze Bracket Winner: UC San Diego

Bronze Bracket Runner-Up: Hawaii Hilo

All-Tournament Team

Most Valuable Player:

Regina Farfan, Cal State Dominguez Hills, SR, P

Name School Year Pos.

Ashley Jackson San Francisco State SR P

Jessica Wood Western Oregon SO P

Jessica Gaumnitz Cal State Stanislaus SR P

Jessica Rosencrants Western Washington SR P

Sherise Musquiz Hawaii Pacific JR P

Holly Rossman Central Washington SR C

Ashley Collinwood Cal State San Bernardino SR 1B

Jennifer Arnold Cal State Stanislaus JR 1B/P

Randi Johns Grand Canyon SR 1B

Liz Vazquez Cal State Dominguez Hills SR 2B

Krystal Plunckett Hawaii Pacific SR SS

Meghan Franksen Cal State Stanislaus SR SS

Tyler Sutherland Western Oregon JR SS

Kristyn Lesovsky UC San Diego SO OF

Gwen Cox Chico State SR OF

Felicia Vivieros Humboldt State FR OF

Lauren Holmes Hawaii Hilo SO OF

Shelly Rowell Cal State Monterey Bay JR DP

Batting Champion:

Kristyn Lesovsky, UC San Diego

(.824, 14-for-17, 10 R, 2B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 4 BB)

Top Pitcher:

Ashley Jackson, San Francisco State

(0.32 ERA, 3-0, 3 GS, 3 CG, 2 SHO, 22 IP, 14 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 33 K, Opp B/Avg. .179)

Top Team Batting:

1. Chico State (.380)

2. UC San Diego (.369)

3. Cal State Dominguez Hills (.339)

Top Team Pitching:

1. Sonoma State (1.04 ERA)

2. Cal State Dominguez Hills (1.12 ERA)

3. Western Washington (1.60 ERA)

Grand Canyon University Athletics

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