Lopes fall 4-3 in tourney finale

Sunday, February 28

Phoenix, Ariz.

11:30 a.m.

Grand Canyon

12-5

Montana

6-9

Montana

Grand Canyon

2/28/2016 2:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Imani Suber

PHOENIX – The Grand Canyon softball team fell to Montana 4-3 in the final day of the GCU Invitational. Now at 12-5, the Lopes closed out the GCU invitational 3-2. GCU out hit Montana 10-6, but weren't able to produce the tying run and extend the ball game.

The Lopes garnered 30 runs from 56 hits during the weekend. They also produced 11 doubles and two triples.

To score two runs in the bottom of the home-half to take a 2-0 lead over the Grizzlies, Nicole Newbury got things started for the Lopes with a single to left-center field. After a single by Camree Wartman and hit by pitch by Madelyn Dowdle, the bases were juiced as Sierra Smith drew a walk to bring in the first run of the game. Next up, Briielle Breland singled to center to give the Lopes a 2-0 lead.

In the third, the Grizzlies evened the score, 2-2 with a homer that brought two runs across the plate. With a scoreless fourth inning, Montana would again drive in a two-run homer and retake the lead 4-2 over the Lopes in the top of the fifth.

In the final frame, Sierra Smith led off the home-half of the seventh inning with a triple to deep left center field. Breland brought Smith across home plate with a sacrifice fly to left field to cut the Grizzlies lead to 4-3. But the Lopes weren't able to drive the game tying run across the plate and fell one shy in a 4-3 decision.

Up Next:
GCU opens up the month of March in a double-header against St. Francis on Wednesday, March 3rd. First pitch is set for 12:00 p.m. at Stapleton-Pierson Stadium.