Two Shutouts Wrap Up 5-1 Record at GCU Invitational

Sunday, February 3

GCU

2:30 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Western New Mexico

Kiki Sepulveda earned a complete game shutout victory over Western New Mexico Sunday.

2/3/2013 11:52:00 AM | Softball

Stephanie Pesqueira and Kiki Sepulveda each threw shutouts to lead Grand Canyon to a doubleheader sweep of opponents in the GCU Invitational at Stapleton-Pierson Field Sunday.

Pesqueira threw a six-hitter in a 1-0 win over Midwestern State, while Sepulveda gave up two hits in a 4-0 win over Western New Mexico.

GCU went 5-1 in the three-day event, the best record of any team in the tournament.

“I’m so happy and proud of them to go 5-1,” said GCU coach Ann Pierson. “It’s outstanding to do that and do it against the teams we played. Everybody was chipping in.”

Pesqueira not only threw a six-hitter, she scored the only run. She doubled to lead off the fourth inning and came around to score on a two-out single to left field from Kayla Henry.

GCU had left six runners through the first three innings, including the bases loaded in the third.

Pesqueira had two of her seven strikeouts in the seventh, as the Mustangs left runners at first and second to end the game.

GCU had six hits, two from Pesqueira. Kelsey Barak had a double, while Henry, Claire Zampini and Stephanie Smith each had singles. Frosh catcher Annie Jordan helped the ’Lopes out of a jam in the first by cutting down MSU baserunner Courtney Bingham attempting to steal third.

GCU played error-free defense, highlighted by third baseman Smith cutting down the lead runner at second base on a seventh-inning sacrifice bunt attempt by Laci Belovsky.

Against WNMU, Sepulveda relied on her defense. She did not have a strikeout, but her defense turned two double plays and left fielder Haley Walker made a nice running catch in the fourth.

Sepulveda, after giving up two first-inning singles faced the minimum from the final out in the first until a single to lead off the seventh. She gave up a walk in the fifth, but the runner was quickly erased with a double play.

After two were out in the third, GCU took a 1-0 lead on consecutive singles from Henry, Zampini and Barak. Two runs scored in the fourth aided by back-to-back doubles from Nicole Upshaw and Smith.

“It was a great day for Pesky and Kiki,” Pierson said. “Two shutouts against two very good hitting teams, neither ever panicked and kept pounding the zone. They let the defense make plays behind them.”

GCU plays in the Desert Stinger in Las Vegas from Feb. 8-10.

GCU 1, MSU 0
GCU 4, WNMU 0