Lopes split on WAC opening day

Friday, March 30

Bakersfield, CALIF.

2:00 PM

Grand Canyon

19-18, 0

CSU Bakersfield

4-24, 0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Grand Canyon	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	9	0
CSU Bakersfield	0	0	3	0	0	0	X	3	8	0

3/30/2018 5:55:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Boling goes 6-6 in doubleheader

By: Sarah Woodward

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – Senior first baseman Bianca Boling was a perfect 6-6 with a home run, a double and four singles to help the Grand Canyon softball team to a split in the Western Athletic Conference opening doubleheader. The Lopes (20-18, 1-1 WAC) defeated CSU Bakersfield (4-25, 1-1 WAC), 7-3 in game two after falling, 3-2, in game one.

Boling finished the day with three RBI and a run as well.

GAME ONE
After a lead-off single through the left side from Jordon Keeton, Bianca Boling slammed a two-run homer over the right field wall in the top of the third frame to bring Keeton home with her for the 2-0 lead. The home run is her third of the season.

Bakersfield tallied three runs in the bottom of the third frame to take a 3-2 lead that would last through the remainder of the game.

Boling went 3-3 on the game with two RBI, while Loriann Olson and Keeton were both 2-3. Shea Smith and Taylor Kaye each had a hit as well.

Brianna Aguilar-Beaucage (8-12) dished out one strikeout on the game.

GAME TWO
Boling got the Lopes on the board in game two with her fourth hit of the day, as an RBI single to the left side sent Kaye home for the 1-0 lead in the top of the second.

Bakersfield used a three-run bottom of the second to go ahead of the Lopes, 3-1.

The Lopes answered with two outs on the board in the top of the third, as Laynee Gomez hit a 2 RBI double to near left field to send two runners home. Kaye followed it with a bouncing RBI base hit to right field to send Gomez home from second for the 4-3 lead.

GCU added on to its lead in the top of the fourth frame, as Shea Smith hit a single and an error from the CSUB left fielder sent Boling home for the 5-3 lead.

An RBI double from Shea Smith sent pinch runner Katelyn Acton home for a sixth run, as the Lopes took a 6-3 lead in the top of the sixth frame.

Kaye kept the momentum going and slapped a two-out RBI single to near right field to send Gomez home from second base for a 7-3 lead in the top of the seventh. The Lopes held the lead for the opening-day split.

Shea Smith finished the game 4-4 from home plate with a run, an RBI and a double, while Boling was 3-3 with a run, RBI and double as well. Kaye was 2-3 with a run and and RBI, while Gomez was 2-4 with two RBI, two doubles and a run.

Olson and Sierra Smith each had a hit as well, while freshman right-hander Yesenia Morrison (5-2) dished out one strikeout for her fifth victory and first in the WAC.

The Lopes and the Roadrunners square off for the final game of the three-game series tomorrow at 1 p.m.