Lopes bounce back, stomp Utah State 8-0

Friday, February 19

Las Vegas, Nev.

10 a.m.

Grand Canyon

6-1

Brigham Young

5-2

BYU

Grand Canyon

2/19/2016 9:38:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Imani Suber

LAS VEGAS - The GCU softball team opened up Day 1 of the DeMarini Desert Classic Friday as it fell to BYU and finished the day strong by posting its fourth shutout of the season with an 8-0 rout of Utah State. Taylor Nowlin pitched her second solo no-hitter of the season as the Lopes picked up their seventh victory of the season.

Game 1: GCU suffered its first loss of the season Friday in a 4-0 loss against BYU at Eller Media Stadium. The Lopes put up a fight, but weren't able to overcome the defensive effort from BYU. For the first time this season GCU went scoreless.

To close out the first inning Bailey Bergman started off hot, striking out the first two Cougar batters. Shea Smith shut down the inning with a pop up fly. In the second, BYU posted two runs from a Lopes error. BYU's St. Clair singled to center field, driving in two teammates. They then posted a pair of runs in the fourth off a home run to go up by four.

GCU's most productive innings came in the fifth and the sixth when it garnered two hits each, but the Lopes could not overcome the Cougar's pitching.

Game 2: On Friday afternoon, the Lopes dropped Utah State, 8-0 in five innings to close out play on Day 1 in Las Vegas. GCU produced yet another dynamite first inning with five runs. The Lopes combined for three home runs, including a grand slam, and posted a no-hitter in their second contest of the day. With the bases loaded early in the first, Jamilia Cosay slugged her second grand slam of the year putting the Lopes up 4-0 and collecting four RBI in the process. Madelyn Dowdle followed Cosay's homer with a home run herself, adding to the count as GCU touted a 5-0 lead heading into the second.

After shutting down the Aggies in three straight innings, GCU's bats came back alive in the third. Shea Smith earned her first two-bag hit of the day. A sacrifice bunt placed Smith in prime scoring position on third. Camree Wartman garnered a base hit to post her first RBI of the game. It was then Dowdle who blasted the ball into the red rocks to earn her second homer Friday night.

The freshmen Lopes had a stunning showing on Friday. They combined for three home runs, 13 hits, seven of the eight RBI and five of the eight runs.

In the circle:
Taylor Nowlin commanded the circle for the second straight week. She pitched her second solo no-hitter of the season. Nowlin posted five strikeouts through 15 at bats and capped the night off in five innings. In Game 1, she posted five strikeouts, two of which included a leadoff batter.

Lopes notes:
Freshman Taylor Esobar posted her first at bat in the top of the fifth on Friday afternoon.
Freshman Cosay notched her second homer and second grand slam of her young career.
Freshman Dowdle notched two homers in a game for the first time this season.
The Lopes recorded back-to-back homers and three homers for the first time this year.

Lopes Quotes:
P Taylor Nowlin

(On the team's performance): "I'm really happy how today ended. We did bounce back after the loss this morning and how we won as a team. We did really well today."

(On mentally preparation): "Our goal all the time is to get ahead. Getting ahead in the count and getting that first batter out is really the key. The last couple of games that I've done that I've been successful."

Head Coach Ann Pierson
"I wasn't too disappointed with the morning game just because BYU's a very good team. Their pitcher was the best pitching we've seen so far. We just couldn't string anything together. The frustration with our offense was the inability to move players and put pressure on the defense. I thought our defense was good. Bailey (Bergman) threw well, Taylor (Nowlin) came in and threw well, we just couldn't get anything across the plate, so that part was disappointing. But then to come back in Game 2 and just open it up right at the beginning with our bats was just really fun and exciting to see. Shea (Smith) just continues to be such a table setter for us."

(On the freshmen): "Unbelievable. With Shea, with Sierra (Smith), with Maddie (Dowdle), with Jamilla (Cosay), they are doing such a great job. They're taking advantage of their opportunities, they're learning. I see them talking to the upperclassmen and returners and they're making the most of every opportunity they're getting right now.

(On P Taylor Nowlin): "For Taylor to get her second no-hitter in a week is just crazy. Utah State is a free swinging, aggressive swinging team and she established her change up right off the bat. She can throw that pitch in any count, so she needs to establish that right away and then continue to work her moving pitches."

(On C Kendsey Hill): "Kendsey caught a great game behind the plate, she shut down the run game early. So, I was really happy with the overall performance and we have some good plays on defense. Yeah, it was a good way to end the day, we've got two big ones Saturday in Hawaii and Weber state."

(On the message for Saturday) "We just need to keep playing our game. We have to continue to work on our strengths and allow that to be our game plan and stay with the game plan. We talked to the kids about having confidence in what they've done."

Next up:
In Day 2 of tournament action, the Lopes face Hawaii and Weber State. First pitch is set for 4:45 and 7:00 pm MT, respectively.