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
Saturday, April 29
Las Cruces, N.M.
3:00 P.M.
Grand Canyon
35-15, 10-4
5
at
13
New Mexico State
23-21, 11-3
1
2
3
4
5
6
R
H
E
Grand Canyon
0
2
0
0
3
0
5
8
2
New Mexico State
0
1
2
2
7
1
13
16
1
Lopes crowned WAC Co-Champions with series win over NMSU
4/29/2017 9:21:00 PM | Softball
PHOENIX – The GCU Softball program claimed a share of the WAC Championship on Saturday night as they split a doubleheader and won the series against conference rival, New Mexico State University. Game one was claimed by the Aggies by way of a 13-5 win. The Lopes bounced back in a big way and clinched the series with a 13-10 win in an instant WAC classic.
"I'm so proud of the girls and my staff," said head coach Ann Pierson. "This was a hard fought weekend in every aspect of the game. Our energy was so strong and consistent in all three games, which can be difficult in the tough moments. But our offense exploded starting in the first inning of the first game and didn't let up until the third game was over. This was a true team winning weekend and a great way to cap the WAC season!"
Megan Stevens, Nikki Gonzalez, Sierra Smith and Bianca Boling all had home runs on the day and combined for 10 of the Lopes 18 runs during the two games.
Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage was tagged with the loss in game one bringing her record to 11-5 on the year. Mariah Valencia relieved Taylor Nowlin in game two and got the win bringing her record to 6-3.
"Our seniors have another ring to bookend their careers with our first WAC Championship," said Pierson. "Big thanks to JJ and Chuck for keeping them healthy, strong and fit. The support from our administration and executive team was incredible and we share this accomplishment with them."
_____________________________________________________________________________________
How it Happened
Game 1:
The first game of today's doubleheader was a battle of the two offenses, with the New Mexico State Aggies eventually coming away on top, outscoring the Lopes 13-5.
Stellar defense by both teams kept the game scoreless until the second inning of play. The GCU offense came alive, putting up a pair of runs with two outs in the inning. Jenna Coates and Kendsey Hill both credited with the RBIs.
NMSU, responded by forcing a bases loaded walk in the second and a two run home run in the third. Aggies continued to add to their lead, with back to back single run home runs in the bottom half of the fourth brining the score to 5-2.
WAC Championship on the line, Megan Stevens came up big for the Lopes with a game tying 3-run home in the first half of the fifth inning. With the game tied 5-5 going into the bottom of the fifth the Aggies offense exploded. Regaining the lead with a 5 run, 4 hit inning, capitalizing on a throwing error by the Lopes.
In the sixth inning the Lopes tried to battle back, but ultimately fell short as the Aggies shut out the hopeful GCU offense in the top of the inning. The Aggies ended up run-ruling the Lopes 13-5 on a game ending double.
Game 2:
Game two of the day was a display of offensive power that featured seven home runs between the two teams. The Lopes and the Aggies went back and forth all game until a late push and a five run sixth put GCU ahead for good.
Megan Stevens got the game started off with an RBI single that scored Kendsey Hill followed by a Camree Wartman fielder's choice that scored Laynee Gomez. NMSU answered back in the bottom of the inning when Victoria Castro hit a grand slam that put the Aggies up 4-2.
The Lopes added four more in the second inning thanks to a Hill RBI double, a Gomez RBI single and a Gonzalez home run.
The Aggies added two in the third to tie the game. In the fourth, Castro hit her second home run and Nikki Butler added an RBI single to put them up 10-6.
GCU battled back to score one in the fifth and added five more in the sixth. A Gonzalez RBI single, an Aggie error and a clutch Sierra Smith home run would put the Lopes back in the lead. Boling came in as a pinch-hitter in the seventh and launched a leadoff home run to give the Lopes a 13-10 lead and a share of the WAC Conference Championship.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Up Next
The Lopes will travel to Utah for a double header against the Utah Utes on May 2 starting at 3 p.m. MST and finish up the season by facing BYU on May 3 with first pitch set for 5 p.m. MST.
"I'm so proud of the girls and my staff," said head coach Ann Pierson. "This was a hard fought weekend in every aspect of the game. Our energy was so strong and consistent in all three games, which can be difficult in the tough moments. But our offense exploded starting in the first inning of the first game and didn't let up until the third game was over. This was a true team winning weekend and a great way to cap the WAC season!"
Megan Stevens, Nikki Gonzalez, Sierra Smith and Bianca Boling all had home runs on the day and combined for 10 of the Lopes 18 runs during the two games.
Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage was tagged with the loss in game one bringing her record to 11-5 on the year. Mariah Valencia relieved Taylor Nowlin in game two and got the win bringing her record to 6-3.
"Our seniors have another ring to bookend their careers with our first WAC Championship," said Pierson. "Big thanks to JJ and Chuck for keeping them healthy, strong and fit. The support from our administration and executive team was incredible and we share this accomplishment with them."
Congrats to @GCUSoftball for claiming a series win over New Mexico State and winning a share of the 2017 @WACSports crown! #LopesRising pic.twitter.com/PVa0WEsUAG
— GCU Lopes (@GCU_Lopes) April 30, 2017
_____________________________________________________________________________________
How it Happened
Game 1:
The first game of today's doubleheader was a battle of the two offenses, with the New Mexico State Aggies eventually coming away on top, outscoring the Lopes 13-5.
Stellar defense by both teams kept the game scoreless until the second inning of play. The GCU offense came alive, putting up a pair of runs with two outs in the inning. Jenna Coates and Kendsey Hill both credited with the RBIs.
NMSU, responded by forcing a bases loaded walk in the second and a two run home run in the third. Aggies continued to add to their lead, with back to back single run home runs in the bottom half of the fourth brining the score to 5-2.
WAC Championship on the line, Megan Stevens came up big for the Lopes with a game tying 3-run home in the first half of the fifth inning. With the game tied 5-5 going into the bottom of the fifth the Aggies offense exploded. Regaining the lead with a 5 run, 4 hit inning, capitalizing on a throwing error by the Lopes.
In the sixth inning the Lopes tried to battle back, but ultimately fell short as the Aggies shut out the hopeful GCU offense in the top of the inning. The Aggies ended up run-ruling the Lopes 13-5 on a game ending double.
Game 2:
Game two of the day was a display of offensive power that featured seven home runs between the two teams. The Lopes and the Aggies went back and forth all game until a late push and a five run sixth put GCU ahead for good.
Megan Stevens got the game started off with an RBI single that scored Kendsey Hill followed by a Camree Wartman fielder's choice that scored Laynee Gomez. NMSU answered back in the bottom of the inning when Victoria Castro hit a grand slam that put the Aggies up 4-2.
The Lopes added four more in the second inning thanks to a Hill RBI double, a Gomez RBI single and a Gonzalez home run.
The Aggies added two in the third to tie the game. In the fourth, Castro hit her second home run and Nikki Butler added an RBI single to put them up 10-6.
GCU battled back to score one in the fifth and added five more in the sixth. A Gonzalez RBI single, an Aggie error and a clutch Sierra Smith home run would put the Lopes back in the lead. Boling came in as a pinch-hitter in the seventh and launched a leadoff home run to give the Lopes a 13-10 lead and a share of the WAC Conference Championship.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Up Next
The Lopes will travel to Utah for a double header against the Utah Utes on May 2 starting at 3 p.m. MST and finish up the season by facing BYU on May 3 with first pitch set for 5 p.m. MST.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Samaria Diaz (12-8)
L: Aguilar, Brianna (11-5)
Batting:
2B: Wartman, Camree 1
HR: Stevens, Megan 1
RBI: Hill, Kendsey 1 ; Stevens, Megan 3 ; Coates, Jenna 1
SH: Smith, Shea 1 ; Dowdle, Maddie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gomez, Laynee 1 ; Gonzalez, Niki 1 ; Stevens, Megan 1 ; Smith, Sierra 1 ; Dowdle, Maddie 1
Batting:
2B: Kaitlyn Rubio 1 ; Victoria Castro 1 ; Caity Szczesny 1 ; Alexis Maynez 1
HR: Kelsey Horton 1 ; Kaitlyn Rubio 1 ; Victoria Castro 1
RBI: Rachel Rodriguez 1 ; Kelsey Horton 1 ; Kaitlyn Rubio 3 ; Victoria Castro 5 ; Alexis Maynez 2
SH: Haley Nakamura 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rachel Rodriguez 1 ; Haley Nakamura 1 ; Kelsey Horton 1 ; Jeanelle Medina 1 ; Kennedy Johnson 1 ; Kaitlyn Rubio 3 ; Victoria Castro 1 ; Fahren Glackin 1 ; Brandy Hernandez 1 ; Caity Szczesny 1 ; Misty Hoohuli 1
CS: Victoria Castro 1
HBP: Kelsey Horton 1 ; Kaitlyn Rubio 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
P/UTL
/ Softball
1B
/ Softball
OF/C
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballC
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballP/1B
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
2B
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