Upcoming Event: Softball versus Pima CC on September 30, 2025 at 6 p.m.
Softball
6 p.m.
vs Pima CC
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Friday, April 21
Phoenix, Ariz.
5 p.m.
Grand Canyon
32-14, 0
8
vs
3
Utah Valley
12-18, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Utah Valley
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
3
7
2
Grand Canyon
2
0
0
4
1
1
X
8
14
0
GCU secures third straight WAC series
4/21/2017 10:21:00 PM | Softball
PHOENIX – The Grand Canyon softball program came up big in their last home series of the season, taking both games in the series opening doubleheader against Utah Valley. The Lopes combined for 14 runs over the two games winning 8-3 in Game 1 and 6-3 in Game 2 securing their third straight WAC series.
Megan Stevens led the offense during the two games going 5-for-8 with two RBI and Laynee Gomez had herself a night going 4-for-7 with three doubles and an RBI.
GCU pitching led the defense with Taylor Nowlin (18-7) picking up a win with six strikeouts and three runs. Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage (10-4) picked up her 10th win of the season with two strikeouts and two runs.
How it Happened
Game 1:
The Lopes opened up their series against Utah Valley in a big way. Coming up with eight runs off 14 hits to win game one of the doubleheader at 8-3.
Both offenses came out strong to begin the game, scoring two runs each in the first inning of play. The game remained tied until the fourth when the GCU offense came alive, putting up four runs off of five hits as Madelyn Dowdle, Kendsey Hill, Gomez, and Niki Gonzalez were all credited with the RBIs.
In the fifth, Utah Valley rallied back with one run, adding to its three run total. However, the GCU bats stayed strong, scoring a run off a pair of hits to extend its lead to 6-3. Camree Wartman led the charge with a double to right center to begin the inning, Sierra Smith then singled to right driving in Wartman to give GCU a 7-3 lead.
The Lopes defense shutout Utah Valley in the sixth, keeping their 7-3 lead safe heading into the bottom of the inning. With the Lopes up to bat, Gomez and Gonzalez combined for a double-single combo to add one run to the Lopes lead at 8-3.
GCU defense made quick work in the final frame with Nowlin getting her sixth strikeout of the game to seal the deal for the Lopes at 8-3.
Game 2:
GCU capitalized on five Utah Valley errors to earn a series win and their second victory of the night. A two out rally in the sixth put the game away.
Early on the stage was set as Utah Valley took the early lead at 1-0. But GCU answered with two runs of its own by way of a single from Stevens and Gonzalez scoring on an error with the score at 2-1.
The score would stay the same until the bottom of the third when Stevens hit a ball hard to eat up the Wolverine shortstop, plating Gomez off the miscue increasing GCU's lead to 3-1.
In the fourth inning the Lopes were able to capitalize on a pair of Utah Valley mistakes as Dowdle reached on an error and advanced to third on another. Hill smacked a single to right center to score Dowdle making the lead 4-1.
Utah Valley responded in the fifth and the sixth with a pair of runs to make things interesting at 4-3. But the Lopes weren't phased as they used a two out rally to double their lead in the bottom of the sixth. Gomez doubled and was brought home by a Gonzalez RBI single. After a passed ball advanced the runner, Stevens laced a RBI single to the left side to bring the score to 6-3.
Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage held off Utah Valley in the top of the seventh earning a complete game victory, delivering the second win of the night at 6-3.
Lopes Quotes
Head coach Ann Piers
"It's great to start off the weekend with two wins. Every game is important the rest of the way, so always happy to get wins. I thought Taylor (Nowlin) threw a great game. I thought 'Bo' (Aguilar-Beaucage) threw a good game overall and finished strong. We had some kids really swing the bat well. Laynee (Gomez) was crazy all night long, not just at the plate but certainly in the outfield. Kendsey (Hill) hit the ball well all night, Niki (Gonzalez) and Megan (Stevens) just really getting it done when we needed it. I feel really good that we got these two wins against a good Utah Valley team that we're playing and we're really going to have to work for tomorrow."
Up Next
The Lopes look for their second straight series sweep on Saturday, Apr. 22 at at 5 p.m. MST. GCU will honor its three seniors at the conclusion of the contest.
Megan Stevens led the offense during the two games going 5-for-8 with two RBI and Laynee Gomez had herself a night going 4-for-7 with three doubles and an RBI.
GCU pitching led the defense with Taylor Nowlin (18-7) picking up a win with six strikeouts and three runs. Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage (10-4) picked up her 10th win of the season with two strikeouts and two runs.
Game 1:
The Lopes opened up their series against Utah Valley in a big way. Coming up with eight runs off 14 hits to win game one of the doubleheader at 8-3.
Both offenses came out strong to begin the game, scoring two runs each in the first inning of play. The game remained tied until the fourth when the GCU offense came alive, putting up four runs off of five hits as Madelyn Dowdle, Kendsey Hill, Gomez, and Niki Gonzalez were all credited with the RBIs.
In the fifth, Utah Valley rallied back with one run, adding to its three run total. However, the GCU bats stayed strong, scoring a run off a pair of hits to extend its lead to 6-3. Camree Wartman led the charge with a double to right center to begin the inning, Sierra Smith then singled to right driving in Wartman to give GCU a 7-3 lead.
The Lopes defense shutout Utah Valley in the sixth, keeping their 7-3 lead safe heading into the bottom of the inning. With the Lopes up to bat, Gomez and Gonzalez combined for a double-single combo to add one run to the Lopes lead at 8-3.
GCU defense made quick work in the final frame with Nowlin getting her sixth strikeout of the game to seal the deal for the Lopes at 8-3.
Game 2:
GCU capitalized on five Utah Valley errors to earn a series win and their second victory of the night. A two out rally in the sixth put the game away.
Early on the stage was set as Utah Valley took the early lead at 1-0. But GCU answered with two runs of its own by way of a single from Stevens and Gonzalez scoring on an error with the score at 2-1.
The score would stay the same until the bottom of the third when Stevens hit a ball hard to eat up the Wolverine shortstop, plating Gomez off the miscue increasing GCU's lead to 3-1.
In the fourth inning the Lopes were able to capitalize on a pair of Utah Valley mistakes as Dowdle reached on an error and advanced to third on another. Hill smacked a single to right center to score Dowdle making the lead 4-1.
Utah Valley responded in the fifth and the sixth with a pair of runs to make things interesting at 4-3. But the Lopes weren't phased as they used a two out rally to double their lead in the bottom of the sixth. Gomez doubled and was brought home by a Gonzalez RBI single. After a passed ball advanced the runner, Stevens laced a RBI single to the left side to bring the score to 6-3.
Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage held off Utah Valley in the top of the seventh earning a complete game victory, delivering the second win of the night at 6-3.
Head coach Ann Piers
"It's great to start off the weekend with two wins. Every game is important the rest of the way, so always happy to get wins. I thought Taylor (Nowlin) threw a great game. I thought 'Bo' (Aguilar-Beaucage) threw a good game overall and finished strong. We had some kids really swing the bat well. Laynee (Gomez) was crazy all night long, not just at the plate but certainly in the outfield. Kendsey (Hill) hit the ball well all night, Niki (Gonzalez) and Megan (Stevens) just really getting it done when we needed it. I feel really good that we got these two wins against a good Utah Valley team that we're playing and we're really going to have to work for tomorrow."
Up Next
The Lopes look for their second straight series sweep on Saturday, Apr. 22 at at 5 p.m. MST. GCU will honor its three seniors at the conclusion of the contest.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nowlin, Taylor (18-7)
L: Moore, Bailey (1-8)
Batting:
2B: Morris, Caragh 1 ; Query, Basia 1
HR: Vansway, Brittney 2
RBI: Vansway, Brittney 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Morris, Caragh 1 ; Vansway, Brittney 2
SB: Tuttle, Abbie 1
HBP: Kahana, Kawehi 1
Batting:
2B: Hill, Kendsey 1 ; Gomez, Laynee 2 ; Stevens, Megan 1 ; Wartman, Camree 1 ; Smith, Sierra 1
RBI: Hill, Kendsey 1 ; Gomez, Laynee 1 ; Gonzalez, Niki 2 ; Wartman, Camree 1 ; Smith, Shea 1 ; Dowdle, Maddie 1
SF: Gonzalez, Niki 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hill, Kendsey 1 ; Gomez, Laynee 1 ; Gonzalez, Niki 1 ; Stevens, Megan 1 ; Wartman, Camree 1 ; Smith, Sierra 1 ; Smith, Shea 1 ; Dowdle, Maddie 1
CS: Wartman, Camree 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
P/UTL
/ Softball
2B/OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballC
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballP/1B
/ Softball2B
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