Lopes tally 60 runs in undefeated weekend

Sunday, February 25

Phoenix, Ariz.

9:00 AM

Grand Canyon

8-8

Niagara

3-6

Niagara

Grand Canyon

2/25/2018 1:48:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GCU goes undefeated at home

By: Sarah Woodward

PHOENIX, Ariz. – The Grand Canyon softball team went undefeated over six games at home while tallying an astonishing 60 runs against Niagara (3-6) and Houston Baptist (2-7), capped by a 5-3 win over the Purple Eagles and an 11-3 decision over the Huskies in five innings on Sunday afternoon. GCU advances to 9-8 on the season.

"Sixty runs in six games is outstanding," head coach Ann Pierson said. "We swung our bats well. We were able to capitalize on situations and errors on the defense, as well as running the bases hard. Something that might be a single turned into a double just because we're running hard out of the box.

"I was really happy today with our production against Houston Baptist's starting pitcher that we struggled against yesterday. We tried to make adjustments and put the ball on the ground.

"I felt like the pitching did a really nice job over the weekend," Pierson said. "It was great to get Yesenia (Morrison) out and get her some innings and give her a start. The other three threw extremely well and they were working on some things after last weekend, so it was good to have them put that in the game.

"It was nice to see our hitting, pitching and defense start working together and be a little more consistent. We saw some good things, but we still have things that we have to continue to work on. We just have to continue to get better every time we come out."

GAME ONE
Bianca Boling got the Lopes on the board in the second frame with an RBI double to right field, sending Maddie Dowdle home for the score. Niagara evened the score in the third, 1-1.

The Lopes trailed Niagara for the first time this weekend, as the Purple Eagles put on a pair of RBI singles in the fourth inning to lead GCU, 3-1.

A solo homer to right field from Boling brought the Lopes within one in the bottom of the fourth frame, before the go-ahead yard ball from Niki Gonzalez to left field in the sixth tacked on three runs for the Lopes for the 5-3 victory.

Boling was a perfect 3-3 on the game with two RBI and a run, while Dowdle finished 2-3 with a run. The trio of Taylor Kaye, Kaylee Dietrich and Gonzalez each added a run, while Gonzalez tallied three RBI.

The pair of Yesenia Morrison and Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage combined for four strikeouts, as Aguilar-Beaucage (5-4) earned the win.

GAME TWO
Sierra Smith started the scoring for the Lopes in game two with a home run to center field to send Gonzalez home for the pair of RBI.

GCU used a pair of bases-loaded walks to score Boling and Dowdle to go ahead, 4-0 in the second inning. The Lopes would add two more runs in the second frame from a pair of RBI singles by Gonzalez and Sierra Smith for seven unanswered runs through just two innings of play.

Houston Baptist answered with three runs in the top of the third, but a Sierra Smith single scored both Loriann Olson and Shea Smith to give GCU a 9-3 lead in the fourth inning.

Boling flied out to center field for the sacrifice hit to send Sierra Smith home in the bottom of the fourth before Olson helped the Lopes to the walk-off win in five innings with an RBI single up the middle.

Sierra Smith was a perfect 3-3 on the game with two runs and five RBI, while the trio of Shea Smith, Olson and Gonzalez were 2-3. Shea Smith had three runs and an RBI, while Olson had two runs and two RBI and Gonzalez had two RBI and a run.

Coons and senior Mariah Valencia combined for four strikeouts on the day, while Coons (4-1) earned the victory from the circle.

The Lopes stay home for another tournament at GCU Softball Stadium next weekend, as Grand Canyon welcomes UNLV, South Dakota, Princeton and Valparaiso for three days of games.