Pinch-hit RBI double gives Lopes edge over CSUN

Thursday, March 10

Northridge, Calif.

12:30 p.m.

Grand Canyon

18-7

CSU Northridge

12-10

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Grand Canyon	1	0	1	0	0	0	4	6	8	2
CSUN	0	1	0	0	2	0	1	4	5	3

3/10/2016 12:43:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Imani Suber

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. -The Grand Canyon softball team went 2-0 on Day 1 of the Matador Classic. GCU defeated Toledo by run-rule 11-3 and garnered a 6-4 victory against Cal State Northridge Thursday afternoon. The Lopes improved to 18-7 on the season and totaled 17 runs from 21 hits on Day 1.

The Lopes garnered four doubles and three home runs and outscored their opponents 17-7.

Game 1: Toledo
GCU claimed it's first victory of the day against Toledo by run-rule in a 11-3 outcome. The Lopes recorded three doubles, two home runs from 13 hits against the Rockets.

The Lopes quickly got busy in the first inning, garnering five runs to open the contest. Shea Smith trotted to first for a free base. Camree Wartman and Madelyn Dowdle garnered consecutive hits to load the bases for Sierra Smith who smashed the ball out of the park for her third career home run to put the Lopes up by four. Briielle Breland followed with a base hit and reached second off a Rocket error. Taylor Kaye garnered an RBI double that scored Breland and left the score 5-0 heading into the second.

While the Rockets put runs on the board in consecutive innings to come within two, the Lopes controlled the contest from the fourth on.

In the final frame, the Lopes piled on the pressure matching their first-inning offensive fire. To leadoff the inning, Brittany Medina blasted her first homer of the year out of the park. In back-to-back base hits by Shea Smith and Nicole Newbury, a two RBI double by Wartman plated the two Lopes. It was Bianca Boling who connected on a pinch-hit RBI double to secure the victory by run-rule in a 11-3 decision.

Sierra Smith led the Lopes at the plate, hitting 2-for-3 with three RBI and one scored and a home run. Also putting on a show at the plate, Brittany Medina was 1-for-1 with a home run.

Game 2: CSUN
GCU earned it's second victory of the day in a close call against Cal State Northridge in a 6-4 final. The Lopes' seventh inning rally accompanied by Brittany Medina's pinch-hit RBI double was just enough to solidify the Lopes' 18th victory of the season.

In the opening frame, Nicole Newbury garnered the first run of the day to take the early lead. While CSUN got on the board in the second, GCU responded by collecting a run from a Breland RBI single that plated Wartman. In the fifth, the Matadors took back the lead off a homer that gave them the one-run advantage. The sixth ended in a defensive standoff and it came down to the final inning.

In the home half of the seventh, leadoff batter Shea Smith crossed the plate for the game tying run off a sacrifice fly from her sister Sierra Smith. A Newbury single kep the momentum going followed by a base hit and a free base to put two Lopes in scoring position. Medina came in and blasted the ball through center field clearing the bases in the process for an pinch-hit RBI double to give GCU a three-run advantage.

But, the Matadors wouldn't go quietly. CSUN started the inning with a triple and followed with an RBI double to put the Matadors within two. But GCU's defense never wavered and finalized the game in a 6-4 outcome when a caught fly ball on the third out ended the contest.

Lopes Quotes:
Ann Pierson
"Great start to the weekend. It's always a good feeling to win on the road and to have everyone contribute," Pierson said. "We started off attacking the defense with our bats and got on the board early. Sierra put a great swing on a pitch and it was out of the park in a hurry. Kailey was able to keep the offense off balance and the defense was solid."

" Bailey was outstanding in game two against a very aggressive and tough Northridge lineup. She attacked the zone and let the defense work. She hit her spots and really stuck to her plan," Pierson elaborated. " Taylor (Nowlin) came in and was outstanding. The different styles of pitching kept their bats at bay and allowed our offense to work. The last inning showed grit and maturity. This was a huge win for us. We're looking forward to two big games tomorrow."

Next up: GCU meets No. 24 Oregon State to open up Day 2 tourney play. They will finish the day against San Diego. Start times are set for 10:50 a.m. and 1:50 p.m., respectively.