No. 4 OU tops GCU; Tourville homers

Friday, February 8

Phoenix, Ariz.

5 p.m.

Grand Canyon

1-2

Oklahoma

2-0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Oklahoma	0	0	0	0	6	1	0	7	13	0
Grand Canyon	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	1

2/8/2019 7:59:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Lopes fall to Oklahoma 7-1 on Faith & Family Night

By: Fletcher Like

The Grand Canyon softball team could not hold a four-inning, 1-0 lead against No. 4 Oklahoma, as the Lopes fell 7-1 on Saturday in front of GCU Softball Stadium's second-largest crowd of 1,312 fans.

Lopes freshman second baseman Savannah Tourville kept her hot bat going by lighting up the scoreboard in the first inning with her second home run of the weekend for the Lopes (1-2).

In the first inning, GCU sophomore pitcher Yessie Morrison struck out the first batter she faced before getting a double play through Tourville, shortstop Shea Smith and first baseman Lilly Bishop.

In her first start of the season, Morrison (0-2) gave up two runs on six hits and no walks in four innings of work.

The Sooners (2-0) had baserunners in scoring position in each of the first three innings, putting Morrison in pressure-pitch situations early. Morrison induced a fly ball to end each inning and keep the visitors off the scoreboard with help from her defense.

Oklahoma finally pushed runs across the plate in the fifth innings, when it scored six runs on five hits and a GCU error.

The Sooners used a leadoff single and a sacrifice bunt that Morrison threw into right field, putting runners on the corners with no outs. Bloop singles to left from second baseman Caleigh Clifton and third baseman Sydney Romero put the Sooners ahead 2-1. A bases-clearing single to the right side by left fielder Fale Aviu put Oklahoma up 4-1.

Center fielder Eliyah Flores cleared the bases to end the scoring in the fifth with a two-out double to center field, stretching OU's lead to 6-1.

The Lopes used three pitchers in the fifth inning, as sophomore Ryan Denhart came in for Morrison and gave up four runs on three hits. Junior Brianna Aguilar came in to finish the frame, but sophomore Lexy Coons entered to pitch the sixth inning and finished the game with one hit and a strikeout in 1.2 innings.

Oklahoma's starter, Giselle Juarez, threw four innings of two-hit softball, striking out three with one blemish -- the first-inning home run by Tourville.

GCU looks to get back in the win column on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. against San Diego State at GCU Softball Stadium with a 6:30 p.m. contest against Syracuse to follow.