'Lopes Get Split of DH at Dixie State

Friday, May 3

St. George, UT

4:00 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Dixie State

GCU (39-15, 22-8) takes on Dixie State (35-12, 23-7) in a crucial PacWest/West Region doubleheader in St. George, Utah, Saturday.

Photo by: Darryl Webb

5/3/2013 9:08:00 PM | Softball

Grand Canyon, ranked No. 17 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, earned a doubleheader split at Dixie State Friday, winning game two 7-4 after losing the opener 7-2.

Dixie State (35-12, 23-7) – along with Hawai’i Hilo (37-17, 23-7) -- owns a one-game lead over Grand Canyon (39-15, 22-8) in the Pacific West Conference standings. Dixie State and GCU meet again Saturday for a regular-season ending doubleheader at 11 a.m. Hilo plays host to Hawai’i Pacific for a doubleheader Saturday, also. The winner of the PacWest gets an automatic berth into the NCAA West Regional.

“I’m proud of the way our kids battled today,” said GCU coach Ann Pierson. “The kids played hard and with a lot of energy.”

GCU jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the nightcap, scoring twice in the first, three times in the second and again in the sixth. Dixie State rallied with three in the sixth and one in the seventh and had two runners in scoring position when the game ended. GCU got an insurance run in the seventh on a solo home run from Nicole Upshaw.

Kiki Sepulveda picked up the win and took a no-hitter into the fifth inning. Stephanie Pesqueira, who suffered the loss in the opener, came in the seventh to close the door on the Red Storm offense.

Upshaw, Kayla Henry, Kelsey Barak and Haley Walker each had two hits in the win. Henry extended her hitting streak to 17 games, one shy of the school record of 18 set earlier this season by Claire Zampini. Walker and Barak each had doubles in GCU’s three-run second.

Grand Canyon led 2-0 in the opener. Henry, Zampini, Barak and Lauren Regester opened the game with consecutive singles. A fielder’s choice off the bat of Pesqueira scored the second run. Pesqueira, who suffered the loss to drop to 20-9, struck out seven to give her 120 strikeouts on the season, setting a new single-season Antelopes' record. Malia Simmons struck out 118 in 2006.

Zampini had three hits.

Along with conference standings, this weekend’s games, as well as games in the CCAA and GNAC, will be crucial in the final NCAA West Region standings. All three leagues get an automatic berth for their champion and five at-large spots, chosen from the three conferences, will also be selected. Both the CCAA and GNAC have post season tournaments underway this weekend. The CCAA’s Humboldt State is currently No. 1 in the region; GCU is No. 2, followed by Dixie State. Saint Martin’s, at No. 5, is the lone GNAC team in the rankings. The CCAA has No. 4 Sonoma State, No. 6 CSU Dominguez Hills and No. 8 UC San Diego. Hilo is No. 7, while PacWest schools Hawai’i Pacific and Notre Dame de Namur, round out the top 10 at No. 9 and No. 10, respectively.

The final rankings will be determined Sunday night and the announcement will be made public with NCAA Selection Show, webcast on www.ncaa.com, at 7:30 a.m., Arizona Time, Monday.

DSC 7, GCU 2
GCU 7, DSC 4