Lopes sweep Saint Francis in mid-week contest

Wednesday, March 2

Phoenix, Ariz.

12 p.m.

Grand Canyon

13-5

Saint Francis (Pa.)

7-9

Saint Francis

Grand Canyon

3/2/2016 5:49:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Imani Suber

PHOENIX -The Grand Canyon softball team claimed a pair of victories over Saint Francis Wednesday afternoon. In Game 1 the Lopes garnered their sixth shutout as they dropped Saint Francis, 4-0 and claimed a 10-7 victory of the Red Flash in the day's final contest. The Lopes now sit at 14-5 on the season and totaled 14 runs from 22 hits on the day.

The Lopes garnered six doubles and one home run on the day. Briielle Breland put on a show at the plate and was 3-for-5 with four RBI, two runs, a homer and a pair of doubles. Sierra Smith also had a productive day in the batters box and was 6-of-7 with three RBI and two runs.

GAME 1: GCU defeated Saint Francis 4-0 Wednesday afternoon. Junior Taylor Nowlin (5-2) earned the win by tossing 7.0 innings pitched, allowing no runs from only two hits and struck out eight.

In the home frame of inning two, the Lopes got on the board with a free base. With the bases loaded Briielle Breland trotted across the plate for the Lopes first run. GCU stayed quiet offensively for the next three innings while Nowlin did her work in the circle, picking up four of her eight strikeouts in the process.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Lopes piled on the pressure and put the game away as Breland blasted a two-run double to center field to garner the final three runs and drive in Madelyn Dowdle and Nicole Newbury.

The Red Flash would not go quietly, as they loaded the bases deep in the seventh. Nowlin came in clutch once again striking out a Saint Francis batter and pushing the next to ground out to Newbury at first to claim their sixth shutout of the season.

Brielle Breland led the Lopes at the plate, hitting 2-for-3 with two RBI, one double and one run scored. Also putting on a show at the plate, Madelyn Dowdle was 1-for-3 with one RBI, one double and one run scored.

GAME 2: GCU earned its second victory of the day in a 10-7 decision over the Red Flash. The Lopes recorded three doubles and one homer from 14 hits against Saint Francis.

With an early 2-0 lead by Saint Francis in the first inning, GCU responded by unloading a pair of bases off of Shea Smith's two RBI single to tie up the score 2-2. As the second, third and fourth innings produced strong defensive outings, the Lopes' bats came alive in the home half of the fifth.

Shea Smith got things started for the Lopes with a single down the right chalk line. With a beautiful homer by Breland, the Lopes were back tied with the Red flash.Laynee Gomez followed with a deceptive bunt to grab first. Kendsey Hill then smashed the ball for a double to put two Lopes in scoring position. The bases were loaded when Shea Smith walked and Wartman batted in one to claim a one point lead. The Lopes then capitalized off of a Saint Francis wild pitch as Hill crossed the plate and Shea Smith advanced to third.

But the Lopes were not done scoring as Newbury brought in Shea Smith for an RBI and Sierra Smith's single to right field drove in Wartman sending the Lopes into the sixth with a four run lead.

While GCU would gave up a pair of runs to the Red Flash in the sixth, the Lopes shut down the game with two final runs from a two RBI double by Newbury to secure the 10-7 victory of Saint Francis.

Up Next: The Lopes head to the Sand Diego Classic I for their second road tournament of the season. They will play in a pair of contests against Boston University and San Joseph's on Friday. First pitch is set for 12:30 am and 3:00 pm MT. Live stats will be available via GCUstats.com.