Keeton slam ends 2nd shutout

Wednesday, March 13

Phoenix, Ariz.

5 p.m.

Grand Canyon

13-13

Lehigh

6-8

Lehigh

Grand Canyon

3/13/2019 8:30:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Lopes outscore Lehigh 14-0 over 2 wins

By: Sarah Woodward

A game-ending run-rule grand slam was the cherry on top of a pair of shutouts for the Grand Canyon softball team, as junior designated player Jordon Keeton plated four runs with a home run to left field to end the Wednesday doubleheader at GCU Softball Stadium. GCU downed Lehigh 5-0 in the first game before shutting out the Mountain Hawks again 9-0 in five innings.

Strong pitching for the Lopes (14-13) from junior Brianna Aguilar and sophomore Ryan Denhart, along with multiple home runs, allowed GCU to keep Lehigh (6-9) scoreless for 12 innings. Aguilar dished seven strikeouts to tie a career high and Denhart added four in the second game.

"It was a great night behind two outstanding performances by Bo (Brianna Aguilar) and Ryan, just never giving their offense an opportunity to get anything going," GCU head coach Ann Pierson said. "Bo was just mowing them down and any time you can throw shutouts that's fantastic but any time you can limit them to two hits is unbelievable.

"She was making pitches and working ahead and then we got the same thing out of Ryan. Just two very different pitchers to throw at a very good and very scrappy offensive team. For the pitching, for them to do what they did to that team. as well as the defense being able to play, was outstanding.

"Our bats were alive. They kept working on their approach and their tasks that (assistant coach) Christi (Musser) has given them to work on at the plate. It helps that they buy in. It was awesome to watch the home runs to go out of the park and for Taylor Olsen to get her first one. And for Jordon to get her first grand slam, that was huge."

Game 1

Junior right fielder Loriann Olson scored the Lopes' first run in the bottom of the first inning off an RBI single to right field from senior shortstop Shea Smith.

GCU earned its second and third runs of the game off another RBI single, this time from second baseman Savannah Tourville. The freshman sent pinch runner Taylor Tetone and senior third baseman Sierra Smith home for the 3-0 lead.

Shea Smith hit her second RBI single of the game in the bottom of the sixth, sending the ball through the right side and advancing on the throw as she sent pinch runner Christine Bellavia home. The play was followed up by an RBI single from Sierra Smith, who drove the ball to right field to allow Shea Smtih to score.

After a ground out to start the top of the seventh, Lehigh was able to get one runner on base with a single through the right side. The Lopes shut down any chance of scoring as Sierra Smith started the double play to Tourville at second and freshman Taylor Olsen at first to secure GCU's 5-0 win over the Mountain Hawks.

Aguilar (3-3) pitched 4 2/3 innings without a hit to keep the Mountain Hawks scoreless. Aguilar has thrown seven strikeouts in three games throughout her career, once in each of her seasons at GCU.

Game 2

The Lopes started off strong on defense with Denhart striking out the side in the top of the first. The sophomore served another strikeout as both teams went scoreless in the first two innings.

GCU got the scoring started in the bottom of the third inning, thanks to two home runs. Olson worked her way on base with a single and advanced on a throwing error to put as Shea Smith stepped up to the plate. Smith drove the ball over the center-field fence for a two-run home run, making it her fourth multiple-RBI game of the season.

After a single to right field put Sierra Smith on base, Olsen followed up with the second two-run home run of the inning and put the Lopes ahead 4-0 after three innings.

Olsen came back and earned her third RBI with a single up the middle in the bottom of the fifth, sending Shea Smith home to put GCU up 5-0 with only one out.

GCU sealed the deal with Keeton's bases-loaded home run in the bottom of the fifth frame to put GCU on top, 9-0.

"I'm just really proud of the offense and it's good momentum for us going into the weekend because we've obviously got two more great teams in Weber State and Ohio State," Pierson said. "We're hoping to just continue to work on things, learn things and continue to gain confidence at the plate before we head into confidence."

The Lopes return to GCU Softball Stadium on Saturday to host Ohio State and Weber State in two games apiece as part of the GCU Invitational.