Lopes take down UMKC 10-1 for series victory

Saturday, April 8

Kansas City, Mo.

11 a.m.

Grand Canyon

27-14, 0

UMKC

11-27, 0

Grand Canyon

UMKC

4/8/2017 4:29:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Imani Suber

KANSAS CITY -- The Grand Canyon softball program claimed its first Western Athletic Conference series this afternoon after dropping UMKC 10-1 in the series finale.

While GCU fell in the first game of the doubleheader in a 3-1 finish, the Lopes bounced back fiercely, dominating in Game 2.

How it Happened

Game 1
After a quiet pair of innings, UMKC finally broke through in the home half of the third as they put up a 2-run inning to take the lead at 2-0.

GCU finally answered in the fifth. The Lopes started aggressive putting together back to back hits from Loriann Olson and Megan Stevens to immediately threaten. Jenna Coates sacrificed herself to move her teammates leaving room for Kendsey Hill to bang an RBI single to right center. She plated Olson to cut the Roo lead to one at 2-1.

The Roos quickly responded in the home half of the inning with a solo homer to extend their lead back to two at 3-1.

The one run fifth was the closet the Lopes would come. GCU couldn't find the spark it needed in the seventh and allowed UMKC to take Game 2 and even the series at 1-1.

Kendsey Hill put in work at the plate hitting 2-for-3 with an RBI.

In the circle, Taylor Nowlin suffered a loss (15-7) after giving up four hits. She did strikeout four on the afternoon.

Game 2
While the opening frame was silent, the Lopes put the bat on the ball in the top of the second. GCU plated three to take the lead.

Wartman started the Lopes off with a double to the left center wall for her 12th of the season. Sierra Smith followed shortly after with the second double of the inning setting up a Shea Smith sacrifice fly, plating Wartman to give GCU the lead.

The Lopes were just getting warm as Coates came in hot hitting a rocket over the center field fence for the 2-run shot for her second homer of the weekend. The Lopes left the tally at 3-0 to close out the inning.

The Roos were looking to answer loading the bases. But GCU's defense was able to get out of the jam after a long Shea Smith throw to first secured the third-out keeping UMKC off the board stranding three.

The Lopes explosiveness rang true in the top of the third as they added five to extend their lead. Gomez started things off with a blooper to left field. Gonzalez drew the free base to put two on. After a Roo error that landed Stevens on first and allowed Gomez to plate, Wartman flew out for the second sacrifice fly pf the day scoring Gonzalez.

The Lopes stayed in a groove as Sierra Smith sent Roos diving for a bullet through the right side sending Stevens across the plate. Olson earned the free pass and after she and Sierra Smith stole, Coates made UMKC pay with a bullet through the right side to put GCU up 8-0.

In the following inning the Lopes added two more. GCU started with consecutive hits from Stevens and Wartman and Madelyn Dowdle capitalized with a pinch-hit RBI double clearing the bases and putting GCU up 10-0.

In the home half of the fourth, the Roos were finally able to get one run on the board shaving one off the Lopes lead at 10-1.

But that was the closest UMKC would come as Aguilar-Beaucage and the defense sealed the deal forcing the quick three outs to secure the series victory for GCU in the run-rule win.

Coates had a solid outing at the plate going 3-for-2 with 3 RBI including a 3-run homer.

In the circle, Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage threw a 5-hitter allowing just one run with two strikeouts and one walk.

Lopes Quotes
Head Coach Ann Pierson
It was a good finish to the day and the series. Bobo (Aguilar-Beaucage) threw a great game and the bats came alive. Megan (Stevens) and Jenna (Coates) continued to stay hot at the plate as did Kendsey (Hill) and Cam (Wartman). We'll get back to a hard week of practice and prepare for Bakersfield.

Up Next
GCU returns home to host CSU Bakersfield in its second WAC home series on April 14-15. The Lopes will play a doubleheader on Friday, Apr. 14 at 5 p.m. MST and 7:30. GCU will finish the series on Saturday, Apr.15 at 5.