Lopes set for 2016 GCU Kickoff Tournament

PHOENIX - The GCU softball team is set to start the 2016 season Friday as they host UMBC, Idaho State and Loyola Marymount at Stapleton-Pierson Stadium in the Lopes' set for GCU Kickoff Tournament. Fresh off a successful 2015 campaign, the Lopes return to the field boasting a second place pre-season ranking in the WAC conference. In addition to three players being named to the All-WAC preseason team, the Lopes return all four pitchers and six of nine positional players for the 2016 season. With 14 of the 21 members of the roster being freshmen and sophomores, GCU is poised for a bright 2016 with plenty of talent, determination and versatility at the plate.

GCU followed up its first WAC regular season championship in 2014 with a second-place finish in the 2015 season. The Lopes also posted a remarkable .974 fielding percentage, the leading mark in the Western Athletic Conference and ranking the Lopes in a 16th-place tie in the nation. In almost 1,400 fielding chances, GCU committed just 35 total errors on the season.

Grand Canyon and University of Maryland Baltimore County will meet for the first time in program history. UMBC finished the 2015 season 22-27 overall and was 3-6 in neutral site contests. They finished the year with 220 runs, a .378 batting average and a .410 slugging percentage and notched 29 home runs. The Retrievers return 16 letterwinners and eight starters.

GCU and Idaho State last met on the field in 2014 when the Lopes were edged out in a 10-8 decision by a then undefeated team. In an extra inning duke out, the Bengals were able to notch two runs in the top half of the eighth inning to capture the win. GCU got off to a hot start scoring seven runs in just two innings off of two double bag hits. But, the Bengals would mount a comeback with a pair of runs in the third and three in the fourth to grab the lead at 8-7 in the fourth inning. GCU would answer with a run in the bottom of the seventh to force an eighth inning.

In the first of two matchups this season, GCU will also meet Loyola Marymount for the second straight year. In the 2015 campaign, the Lopes met LMU in a three game series in Sacramento where GCU prevailed, 2-1 behind 16 strikeouts from then junior Taylor Nowlin.

GCU hosts UMBC and Idaho State on Friday, Feb. 12 at Stapleton-Pierson Stadium. Start times are set for 2:30 and 5:00 p.m.

2016 GCU Kickoff Tournament

Friday, Feb. 12
2:30 p.m GCU vs. UMBC
5:00 p.m GCU vs. Idaho State

Saturday, Feb. 13
11:30 a.m GCU vs. UMBC
2:30 p.m GCU vs. Idaho State

Sunday, Feb. 14
9:00 a.m. GCU vs. Idaho State
11:30 a.m. GCU vs. Loyola Marymount

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Taylor Nowlin

Grand Canyon University Athletics