Completed Event: Softball at Arizona State on October 15, 2025 ,
Softball
at Arizona State
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Friday, February 24
Phoenix, Ariz.
7:00 p.m.
Grand Canyon
13-1
11
vs
3
Nevada
6-4
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Nevada
0
0
0
0
3
3
8
1
Grand Canyon
5
1
0
3
2
11
13
1
Lopes stay undefeated in GCU Invitational
2/24/2017 9:21:00 PM | Softball
PHOENIX - The Grand Canyon softball team picked up two more wins on the weekend after defeating Portland State 2-0 and downing Nevada in a 11-3 run-rule finish. GCU improves to 13-1Â on season and remains undefeated in GCU Softball Stadium.Â
In the circle, Mariah Valencia picked up her second victory of the season after pitching a complete game against Portland State. She secured GCU's second shutout of the season allowing just five hits with two strikes on the afternoon.Â
How it HappenedÂ
Game 1 | Portland StateÂ
In a contest that was mostly dictated by a pitching dual, the Lopes started slow, but were able to make up ground in the fourth.Â
Valencia and the Lopes defense put in work through 4.5 innings keeping the Vikings offense off balance.
GCU finally got its offense out of a lull in the fourth as they were able to capitalize on Portland State mistakes. Loriann Olson landed on base due to an error and quickly advanced to third on a Viking wild pitch to immediately threaten. Nikki Gonzalez then took to the plate banging through the crucial RBI single to get GCU on the board at 1-0.  Camree Wartman embraced the momentum hitting  a bomb to center field scoring Heaven Acquart who pinch ran for Gonzalez. The Lopes closed out the inning 2-0 from four hits.Â
It was all GCU defense for that point on as Valencia allowed just two more hits to complete the shutout picking up her second victory of the season and leading the Lopes to the 2-0 finish.Â
Game 2 | NevadaÂ
GCU took control of the contest early, rattling off a five run, five hit inning to take a solid lead in the opening frame. The Lopes opened with back-to-back singles from Gonzalez in the leadoff spot and Olson who laid down a bunt. While Wartman drew the walk to load the bases, Kendsey Hill answered the call with a bases-loaded double scoring her teammates to put GCU up 3-0. Shortly after, Sierra Smith picked up an RBI single plating Hill. Bianca Boling closed out the inning with the RBI double putting the Lopes up 5-0.Â
While innings two and three remained relatively quiet, the Lopes bats came back alive in the fourth. After Hill landed on base due to a fielder's choice, she advanced Laynee Gomez who secured a base off a single. Shea Smith followed bolting to first off an error as Gomez capitalized plating to improve the score. The Lopes weren't done as Sierra Smith followed with her second straight double unloading the bases for two RBI to put GCU up 8-0 to close out the fourth.Â
But Nevada would mount its own rally after putting together a three run, four hit inning that left four on base. While the Lopes found themselves in a bases-loaded jam, GCU started chipping away at the batters to stop the rally throwing out back-to-back Wolf Pack runners at the plate for the two outs. As Aguilar-Beaucage settled back into the circle she forced the ground out ending the inning and leaving three Nevada runners stranded keeping GCU's advantage at 9-3.Â
Heading into the bottom of the fifth, The Lopes offense knew what it had to do. Boling got hot blasting out a leadoff homer to put GCU two away from the win. While Taylor Kaye drew the walk, Olson came up clutch with a single through the middle to put the game-winning run on base. But Wartman welcomed the challenge sending a bullet through the air for the RBI double scoring Kaye and Olson for  GCU's sixth straight win and second run-rule victory of the weekend.Â
Lopes Quotes
Head Coach Ann PiersonÂ
Game 1 | Portland StateÂ
"I was happy to come away with the win. Mariah (Valencia) thew a great game. I felt like we were flat on defense and on offense and that's always disappointing. We have to do a better job of that. We were making uncharacteristic mental mistakes on the infield and we made 'Ri' work a lot harder then she had to. So, I was glad to see them turn around and get our energy back."
Game 2 | Nevada
" Bo (Aguilar-Beacauge) threw a great game. She continues to learn how to finish a game. But, we put up five in the first inning without any home runs and we jumped on the pitcher right away and we were aggressive. The kids made the adjustments that they needed, we had great base running and our defense was outstanding."
Lopes NotesÂ
Up NextÂ
The Lopes return to GCU Softball Stadium for another day of tourney action as they meet San Jose State at 11:30 a.m. MST. GCU will round out the day against Rhode Island at 2.
Â
In the circle, Mariah Valencia picked up her second victory of the season after pitching a complete game against Portland State. She secured GCU's second shutout of the season allowing just five hits with two strikes on the afternoon.Â
How it HappenedÂ
Game 1 | Portland StateÂ
In a contest that was mostly dictated by a pitching dual, the Lopes started slow, but were able to make up ground in the fourth.Â
Valencia and the Lopes defense put in work through 4.5 innings keeping the Vikings offense off balance.
GCU finally got its offense out of a lull in the fourth as they were able to capitalize on Portland State mistakes. Loriann Olson landed on base due to an error and quickly advanced to third on a Viking wild pitch to immediately threaten. Nikki Gonzalez then took to the plate banging through the crucial RBI single to get GCU on the board at 1-0.  Camree Wartman embraced the momentum hitting  a bomb to center field scoring Heaven Acquart who pinch ran for Gonzalez. The Lopes closed out the inning 2-0 from four hits.Â
It was all GCU defense for that point on as Valencia allowed just two more hits to complete the shutout picking up her second victory of the season and leading the Lopes to the 2-0 finish.Â
Game 2 | NevadaÂ
GCU took control of the contest early, rattling off a five run, five hit inning to take a solid lead in the opening frame. The Lopes opened with back-to-back singles from Gonzalez in the leadoff spot and Olson who laid down a bunt. While Wartman drew the walk to load the bases, Kendsey Hill answered the call with a bases-loaded double scoring her teammates to put GCU up 3-0. Shortly after, Sierra Smith picked up an RBI single plating Hill. Bianca Boling closed out the inning with the RBI double putting the Lopes up 5-0.Â
While innings two and three remained relatively quiet, the Lopes bats came back alive in the fourth. After Hill landed on base due to a fielder's choice, she advanced Laynee Gomez who secured a base off a single. Shea Smith followed bolting to first off an error as Gomez capitalized plating to improve the score. The Lopes weren't done as Sierra Smith followed with her second straight double unloading the bases for two RBI to put GCU up 8-0 to close out the fourth.Â
But Nevada would mount its own rally after putting together a three run, four hit inning that left four on base. While the Lopes found themselves in a bases-loaded jam, GCU started chipping away at the batters to stop the rally throwing out back-to-back Wolf Pack runners at the plate for the two outs. As Aguilar-Beaucage settled back into the circle she forced the ground out ending the inning and leaving three Nevada runners stranded keeping GCU's advantage at 9-3.Â
Heading into the bottom of the fifth, The Lopes offense knew what it had to do. Boling got hot blasting out a leadoff homer to put GCU two away from the win. While Taylor Kaye drew the walk, Olson came up clutch with a single through the middle to put the game-winning run on base. But Wartman welcomed the challenge sending a bullet through the air for the RBI double scoring Kaye and Olson for  GCU's sixth straight win and second run-rule victory of the weekend.Â
Lopes Quotes
Head Coach Ann PiersonÂ
Game 1 | Portland StateÂ
"I was happy to come away with the win. Mariah (Valencia) thew a great game. I felt like we were flat on defense and on offense and that's always disappointing. We have to do a better job of that. We were making uncharacteristic mental mistakes on the infield and we made 'Ri' work a lot harder then she had to. So, I was glad to see them turn around and get our energy back."
Game 2 | Nevada
" Bo (Aguilar-Beacauge) threw a great game. She continues to learn how to finish a game. But, we put up five in the first inning without any home runs and we jumped on the pitcher right away and we were aggressive. The kids made the adjustments that they needed, we had great base running and our defense was outstanding."
Lopes NotesÂ
- Mariah Valencia picked up her second victory of the season after pitching a complete game against Portland State. She secured GCU's second shutout of the season allowing just five hits with two strikes on the afternoon.Â
- Bianca Boling picked up her second home run of the season.Â
- The Lopes secured their second shutout against Portland State.Â
- With the win over Nevada, GCU has won six straight contests.Â
- Loriann Olson was a perfect 3-for-3 adding three runs to the tally against Nevada.Â
- Sierra Smith and Kendsey Hill finished the day tied with three RBIs a piece.Â
- Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage improved to 2-0 after allowing three earned runs with four strikeouts against Nevada.Â
Up NextÂ
The Lopes return to GCU Softball Stadium for another day of tourney action as they meet San Jose State at 11:30 a.m. MST. GCU will round out the day against Rhode Island at 2.
Â
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Aguilar, Brianna (2-0)
L: ISENBERG, McKenna (3-2)
Batting:
RBI: TAUSINGA, Mele 1 ; HANSEN, Erika 1
Base Running:
RUNS: MELLO, Sierra 1 ; GIBSON, Aaliyah 1 ; MARTINEZ, Raquel 1
HBP: GIBSON, Aaliyah 1
Batting:
2B: Wartman, Camree 1 ; Gomez, Laynee 1 ; Hill, Kendsey 1 ; Boling, Bianca 1
HR: Boling, Bianca 1
RBI: Wartman, Camree 1 ; Gomez, Laynee 1 ; Hill, Kendsey 3 ; Smith, Sierra 3 ; Boling, Bianca 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Gonzalez, Niki 1 ; Olson, Loriann 3 ; Wartman, Camree 1 ; Gomez, Laynee 1 ; Hill, Kendsey 2 ; Smith, Shea 1 ; Smith, Sierra 1 ; Boling, Bianca 1
SB: Hill, Kendsey 1 ; Smith, Shea 1 ; Smith, Sierra 1
HBP: Olson, Loriann 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
3
H
3
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
P/UTL
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/ SoftballOF
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C
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C
/ Softball
OF
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/ Softball
SS
/ SoftballUTL
/ Softball
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