Déjà vu: Lopes shut out SDSU

Saturday, February 16

San Diego, Calif.

3 p.m.

Grand Canyon

2-6

Northern Illinois

6-3

Grand Canyon

Northern Illinois

2/16/2019 11:02:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GCU splits day two in San Diego

By: Sarah Woodward

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – For the second time this season, the Grand Canyon softball team shut out San Diego State, as the Lopes downed the Aztecs 8-0 for a victory on Saturday night at SDSU Softball Stadium.

GCU (3-6) outscored SDSU 17-0 in two games this season, as the Lopes served the Aztecs (6-3) their first loss in the 2019 Campbell/Cartier Classic. GCU fell to Northern Illinois in the first game of the day, 3-2.

"This weekend has been frustrating because we haven't been able to find our rhythm and have all of our working pieces together," head coach Ann Pierson said. "We get runners on and can't come up with a clutch hit to score or a clutch pitch or defensive play to stop momentum.

"We needed to get back on the winning side and it was great to see a true team win," Pierson said. "Everybody contributed from the starters to pinch hitters and runners to catchers getting the bullpen ready. Everybody chipping in is the personality of our team and that's what we need to repeat moving forward."

GAME ONE
Brianna Aguilar and the Lopes defense retired 15 straight batters to hold a scoreless game through the first five innings.

Taylor Kaye started the momentum for the Lopes in the top of the sixth with a lead-off single to the pitcher. Taylor Tetone sent her to second on a sacrifice bunt, while a groundout from Gianna Nicoletti put Kaye on third with two outs on the board. Sierra Smith sent Kaye home with an RBI single to right field for the 1-0 lead.

NIU threatened with a pair of runners on in the bottom of the sixth, but a throw from Shea Smith behind second base to Kaylee Dietrich at home plate was in time for the tag to prevent the run.

The Lopes continued the scoring in the top of the seventh with a sacrifice fly from Dietrich, but the Huskies came back with a two RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game and used an RBI single over second base for the walk-off win over the Lopes.

GAME TWO
The Lopes got things going in the top of the second as Shea Smith and Savannah Tourville stole third and second base, respectively, to get in scoring position. Lilly Bishop sent Smith home with an RBI single to the left side, while Kaye sent Tourville home with an RBI bloop single to put GCU up, 2-0.

Sierra Smith led off the third frame with a single and advanced to second on an error from the SDSU right fielder. A sacrifice bunt from Kaileigh Holland sent Smith to third, while a groundout to shortstop from Shea Smith allowed Sierra Smith to go home for the 3-0 lead.

Sierra Smith continued the scoring in the top of the fifth with a solo home run to center field on the first pitch of the inning, putting the Lopes up 4-0. The yard ball is her second of the season.
After Shea Smith started the seventh with a stand-up double, the Lopes struck again as Taylor Olsen pinch hit a sacrifice fly to right field to send Smith home from third.

Maddie Dowdle followed with a bases-loaded two RBI single to right center field, sending home Tourville and pinch runner Rachel Hammons. Kaye found home plate shortly after on an error by the catcher to put GCU ahead, 8-0.

The Lopes held SDSU scoreless in the seventh to complete the shutout victory. GCU returns for the final game of the 2019 Campbell/Cartier Classic tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. (PT) against UC Santa Barbara.