Completed Event: Softball versus CSU Bakersfield on February 27, 2026 , Win , 13, to, 5 , (5 inn.)
Softball
vs CSU Bakersfield
W 13-5
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Saturday, February 24
Phoenix, Ariz.
12:00 PM
Grand Canyon
6-8
16
vs
0
Niagara
3-4
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Grand Canyon
8
0
0
6
2
16
17
0
Niagara
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
1
Photo by: Michael Rincon
Hot bats continue for GCU on day 2
2/24/2018 1:45:00 PM | Softball
PHOENIX – The Grand Canyon softball team continued to keep their bats hot as they continued to produce runs on day two of the GCU Purple Classic. The Lopes (7-8) dominated game one over Niagara (3-4), 16-0 in five innings and defeated Houston Baptist (1-6) in game two, 8-0 in six innings.
"I'm so happy with the run production that is going up on the scoreboard," Pierson said. "Anytime we can put runs up on the board, that helps our pitchers and takes pressure off of them so they can really get aggressive attacking the zone."
GAME ONE
Offensive production was no issue for the Lopes as GCU scored eight runs right off the bat in the top of the first inning. Sierra Smith got the Lopes on the board early with a two run double, driving in her sister Shea and Loriann Olson. Later in the first, Shea Smith smacked one over the head of the diving center fielder, for a three-run inside-the-park home run giving the Lopes an 8-0 lead.
Junior Madelyn Dowdle continued to stay hot as she made it 13-0 in the fourth with a three-run home run, her second of the year. Taylor Tetone followed Dowdle a few pitches later with a solo home run for herself, making it 14-0.
Alexa Coons and Yesenia Morrison combined for four strikeouts, two hits and zero runs, as Coons improved to 2-1 on the year.
"Lexy (Coons) was throwing great, but again it was an opportunity for Yesenia to come in and get some innings," Pierson said. "The two freshmen combined for a shutout and that is fantastic. I'm really proud of them working together and getting good defense when they had opportunities."
GAME TWO
In game two against Houston Baptist, the Lopes jumped on the board first with an RBI single from Loriann Olson in the bottom of the third. Shortly after, the Lopes made it 2-0 as Olson scored from second on an error by the HBU center fielder, coming off the bat of Jordon Keeton.
The score remained 2-0 for the next three innings until GCU opened up the floodgates in the bottom of the sixth. Sierra Smith opened the bottom half with a single up the middle. Three batters later, Kaylee Dietrich singled through the left side of the infield, scoring Taylor Kaye to make it 3-0.
With Dietrich on first base, Dowdle homered to left field to give the Lopes a 5-0 lead. After a Taylor Tetone double and Shea Smith single that scored Tetone, Olson blasted a home run to right center, ending the game with an 8-0 score after six innings in favor of the Lopes.
Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage was dominant on the mound for the Lopes, striking out six, while allowing no runs on two hits.
"This was Brianna's best game so far this year," Pierson said. "She really commanded the zone, throwing hard, mixing her speeds well and letting her defense work."
The biggest play of the game came in the top of the fourth inning - HBU threatened with runners on first and second with no outs, and the Huskies left fielder Nicole Shedd hit a hard ground ball to Sierra Smith at third base. Smith stepped on third and threw the ball to Olson at second for the second out. Olson then fired the ball to Bianca Boling at first, completing the 5-4-3 triple play, the first ever in GCU softball history.
"That was awesome," Pierson said. "I was really proud of the kids. They had just communicated that two pitches prior. They had a plan, they knew exactly what they needed to do."
The Lopes are back in action for day three of the GCU Purple Classic tomorrow facing Niagara and Houston Baptist again. Game one against Niagara starts at 9:00 a.m. (MST) with the second game versus HBU set to begin at 11:30 a.m. at GCU Softball Stadium.
"I'm so happy with the run production that is going up on the scoreboard," Pierson said. "Anytime we can put runs up on the board, that helps our pitchers and takes pressure off of them so they can really get aggressive attacking the zone."
GAME ONE
Offensive production was no issue for the Lopes as GCU scored eight runs right off the bat in the top of the first inning. Sierra Smith got the Lopes on the board early with a two run double, driving in her sister Shea and Loriann Olson. Later in the first, Shea Smith smacked one over the head of the diving center fielder, for a three-run inside-the-park home run giving the Lopes an 8-0 lead.
Junior Madelyn Dowdle continued to stay hot as she made it 13-0 in the fourth with a three-run home run, her second of the year. Taylor Tetone followed Dowdle a few pitches later with a solo home run for herself, making it 14-0.
Alexa Coons and Yesenia Morrison combined for four strikeouts, two hits and zero runs, as Coons improved to 2-1 on the year.
"Lexy (Coons) was throwing great, but again it was an opportunity for Yesenia to come in and get some innings," Pierson said. "The two freshmen combined for a shutout and that is fantastic. I'm really proud of them working together and getting good defense when they had opportunities."
GAME TWO
In game two against Houston Baptist, the Lopes jumped on the board first with an RBI single from Loriann Olson in the bottom of the third. Shortly after, the Lopes made it 2-0 as Olson scored from second on an error by the HBU center fielder, coming off the bat of Jordon Keeton.
The score remained 2-0 for the next three innings until GCU opened up the floodgates in the bottom of the sixth. Sierra Smith opened the bottom half with a single up the middle. Three batters later, Kaylee Dietrich singled through the left side of the infield, scoring Taylor Kaye to make it 3-0.
With Dietrich on first base, Dowdle homered to left field to give the Lopes a 5-0 lead. After a Taylor Tetone double and Shea Smith single that scored Tetone, Olson blasted a home run to right center, ending the game with an 8-0 score after six innings in favor of the Lopes.
Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage was dominant on the mound for the Lopes, striking out six, while allowing no runs on two hits.
"This was Brianna's best game so far this year," Pierson said. "She really commanded the zone, throwing hard, mixing her speeds well and letting her defense work."
The biggest play of the game came in the top of the fourth inning - HBU threatened with runners on first and second with no outs, and the Huskies left fielder Nicole Shedd hit a hard ground ball to Sierra Smith at third base. Smith stepped on third and threw the ball to Olson at second for the second out. Olson then fired the ball to Bianca Boling at first, completing the 5-4-3 triple play, the first ever in GCU softball history.
"That was awesome," Pierson said. "I was really proud of the kids. They had just communicated that two pitches prior. They had a plan, they knew exactly what they needed to do."
The Lopes are back in action for day three of the GCU Purple Classic tomorrow facing Niagara and Houston Baptist again. Game one against Niagara starts at 9:00 a.m. (MST) with the second game versus HBU set to begin at 11:30 a.m. at GCU Softball Stadium.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Coons, Lexy (2-1)
L: Bertrand, Sierra (2-1)
Batting:
2B: Smith, Shea 1 ; Smith, Sierra 1 ; Acton, Kate 1
3B: Smith, Sierra 1
HR: Smith, Shea 1 ; Dowdle, Maddie 1 ; Tetone, Taylor 1
RBI: Smith, Shea 3 ; Smith, Sierra 3 ; Gomez, Laynee 1 ; Hill, Kendsey 1 ; Dowdle, Maddie 4 ; Tetone, Taylor 2 ; Acton, Kate 2
SH: Gonzalez, Niki 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Smith, Shea 2 ; Olson, Loriann 1 ; Keeton, Jordon 1 ; Smith, Sierra 2 ; Gomez, Laynee 2 ; Boling, Bianca 2 ; Bellavia, Christine 1 ; Dietrich, Kaylee 1 ; Dowdle, Maddie 2 ; Tetone, Taylor 2
SB: Gomez, Laynee 1
Batting:
2B: Harrigan, Kelsey 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
3
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
2
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
4
Players Mentioned
P/UTL
/ Softball
1B
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C/INF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
2B/OF
/ SoftballSS
/ SoftballUTL
/ Softball2B/OF
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