GCU, Utah play midweek doubleheader

PHOENIX -- The Grand Canyon softball team closes out the 2018 non-conference schedule with a midweek doubleheader against Utah on Tuesday at GCU Softball Stadium. The Lopes are coming off wins over #17 Ohio State and Cal State Fullerton last weekend at the Easton Invitational.

GCU vs Utah
Game Details	Tuesday, March 20 \| Noon p.m. (MST) \| Phoenix, Ariz. \| GCU Softball Stadium
Game Coverage	Live Stats \| WAC Digital Network \| GCU.tv
GCU Links	News \| Roster \| Schedule \| Notes
Utah Links	News \| Roster \| Schedule

GCU vs Utah
Game Details	Tuesday, March 20 \| 2:00 p.m. (MST) \| Phoenix, Ariz. \| GCU Softball Stadium
Game Coverage	Live Stats \| GCU.tv
GCU Links	News \| Roster \| Schedule \| Notes
Utah Links	News \| Roster \| Schedule

NOTABLES

Grand Canyon begins its first season as a fully eligible Division I program in 2018, as the Lopes look to secure the first berth to an NCAA competition in GCU softball history. GCU claimed the regular-season WAC title last year and look to do the same this season.
The Lopes return 15 players from last year's conference champion squad, including seven position starters and one starting pitcher in sophomore Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage. Aguilar-Beaucage spent time over the summer competing with Team Canada at both the Canada Cup and the 2017 WBSC Junior Women's Softball World Championship. She looks to bea threat for the Lopes on the mound.
GCU also returns the pair of Shea and Sierra Smith, who led the Lopes in hitting with averages of .364 and .349, respectively. The duo will be a strong asset to GCU on both offense and defense this season, as Shea held a fielding percentage of .942 and Sierra was at .967 in 2017.
GCU opened the season with a 3-3 record in the brand new GCU Softball Stadium, as the Lopes welcomed 1,249 fans on opening day and a record-high 1,403 fans the next day vs. #1 Oklahoma. Sierra Smith hit a grand slam and the first home run inside the GCU Softball Stadium on Thursday night versus Montana, while Niki Gonzalez added her own yard ball on Sunday afternoon against Weber State.
GCU was picked to win the WAC title by the league's head coaches, announced by the conference last week. The quad of Aguilar-Beaucage, both Smith sisters and Hill received Preseason All-WAC nods as well. Grand Canyon had the most preseason all-WAC honorees of any of the six teams in the conference.
Senior catcher Niki Gonzalez was named WAC Hitter of the Week after a .500 batting average, 1.063 slugging percentage and .529 on-base percentage at the plate over last week's five games. The award is the first for the senior in her career at GCU.
Junior Sierra Smith holds an 18-game hit streak dating back to her two-hit game against Houston Baptist on February 25. She had a season-high four-hit performance against Syracuse at the Mary Nutter tournament earlier this season.

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Players Mentioned

Brianna Aguilar

Niki Gonzalez

Sierra Smith

Grand Canyon University Athletics