Antelopes Finish Fourth at NFCA Classic

Sunday, February 17

Tucson, AZ

10:00 a.m.

Grand Canyon

West Texas A&M

Lauren Regester hit her sixth double and drove in her 21st run, both team highs, during action at Sunday's NFCA Classic.

Photo by: Theon Carrier

2/17/2013 5:12:00 PM | Softball

Grand Canyon finished fourth among 18 teams at the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Leadoff Classic in Tucson.

GCU, by winning its pool, advanced to the top (Gold) division for Sunday’s bracket play. The Antelopes (12-5) lost twice today, falling 3-0 in eight innings to then-unbeaten West Texas A&M and dropping a 7-5 decision to Texas Woman’s in the consolation game.

"I thought we deserved to play in the championship bracket for how well we played through the first five games," said GCU coach Ann Pierson. "I was happy to play some teams out of our region and if we get to the College World Series this will be a good experience for us."

Against West Texas A&M, GCU left 11 runners on base. The game was tied 0-0 after seven innings. WTAMU had three of its four hits off GCU pitcher Stephanie Pesqueira in the eighth inning.

The Antelopes left the bases loaded in the second and left two runners on in the first, third and fourth innings.

Pesqueira fanned 12 and walked three. GCU had eight hits. Kayla Henry, Lauren Regester and Haley Walker each had two hits. Regester recorded her sixth double of the season, one of only two extra base hits for either team in the game.

"West Texas is an outstanding team and Pesky pitched lights out," said Pierson. "Our defense, through seven innings, was great. We just left too many on base and couldn't get balls through or the hits when we needed. They had the key hits with runners on. We played well and with great energy."

GCU led 3-0 after three innings against Texas Woman’s, but the Pioneers rallied to score three in the fourth, one in the fifth and three more in the sixth. The ’Lopes answered with a run each in the sixth and seventh innings.

The Antelopes committed four errors. Stephanie Smith hit her first home run of the season to cut the deficit to 7-4. She added an RBI-single in the seventh, scoring Kailey Regester for the final margin.

Kailey Regester had three hits, including a triple. Kelsey Barak also had a triple. Lauren Regester added her team-best 21st RBI with a third inning single, to score Barak.

Kiki Sepulveda suffered her first loss of the season, dropping to 4-1.

"Kiki and (reliever) Kailey (Regester) pitched well enough, but our defense made too many mistakes and we didn't have the focus we needed to win," said Pierson.

WTAMU 3, GCU 0 (8)
TWU 7, GCU 5