The Grand Canyon University softball team raised its season record to 22-4 overall, 12-4 in the Pacific West Conference with a doubleheader sweep of Chaminade University of Hawaii today at Stapleton-Pierson Field. The Antelopes beat the Silverswords, 10-0 and 7-3.
GCU has won eight straight games, all against PacWest foes. It takes a break from conference competition tomorrow and Monday when it hosts California Collegiate Athletic Conference member San Francisco State (11-9 overall, 9-7 in the CCAA). Tomorrow's doubleheaders starts at noon and Monday's single game also starts at noon.
In today's first game, the 'Lopes scored one run in the first inning, two each in the second and third, and five in the fourth. They had 13 hits, five of which went for extra bases, to the Swords' three.
Leading the offensive charge was senior right fielder Nicki Lorenzi (Phoenix, AZ/Horizon), who went 2-for-4 with a double, a triple, one RBI and two runs scored; senior designated player Tracy Lubken (Scottsdale, AZ/Horizon), who was 3-for-4 with a double, one RBI and one run scored; junior left fielder Teddy Barry (Phoenix, AZ/Greenway), who went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored; senior shortstop Kelli Bridges (Couer d'Alene, ID/Lake City), who was 1-for-2 with a home run, three RBIs and one run scored; junior first baseman Michelle Rasmussen (Puyallup, WA/Emerald Ridge), who went 2-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored; and junior third baseman Montana Lucas (Glendale, AZ/Cactus), who was 1-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Perhaps even more impressive than GCU's hitting was its pitching. Senior Amy Searcy (Bixby, OK/Bixby) went five innings, walked two and had four strikeouts. She faced only 17 batters. Searcy is 11-2 on the season.
In the second game, Lorenzi again had two hits, both singles, a stolen base and one RBI; Lubken had a sacrifice fly and two RBIs; Bridges had two singles and two runs scored; Rasmussen had a single, a double, one RBI and one run scored; and Lucas hit her second home run of the day, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Sophomore Ivy Campas (Tucson, AZ/Sunnyside) pitched seven innings and gave up nine hits and three runs (two of which were earned), walked two and recorded four strikeouts. Campas' season record now is 10-2.
The 'Lopes scored three runs in the fifth inning to break a 1-1 tie.
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