Lopes win 2 in Riverside

Friday, March 29

Riverside, Calif.

5:30 p.m.

Grand Canyon

22-13, 4-0

California Baptist

14-20, 1-3

Grand Canyon

California Baptist

3/30/2019 12:09:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GCU pitching strong in doubleheader sweep

By: Sarah Woodward

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Grand Canyon softball team extended its win streak to 11 games with a pair of victories in Riverside against California Baptist at John C. Funk Stadium on Friday night. The Lopes (23-13, 5-0 WAC) downed the Lancers (14-21, 1-4 WAC) 3-2 in a 12-inning showdown in game 1 and then came back with a 5-0 shutout in game 2 to claim the series over CBU.

GCU's pitching quartet of sophomore Ryan Denhart, junior Brianna Aguilar, sophomore Yessie Morrison and sophomore Lexy Coons combined for 16 strikeouts on the night, as Aguilar led the way with six. Morrison and Coons each had four, while Denhart added two to the team's total.

GAME 1
The Lancers used an RBI single to right field to get on the board first after a single and a sacrifice bunt to put a runner in scoring position. Sophomore Lilly Bishop evened the score with a lead-off solo home run, her second this season, to center field in the top of the fourth frame.

With one out on the board in the top of the sixth frame, senior Maddie Dowdle hit a double to right center to get into scoring position and advanced to third on a throw that tagged pinch runner Taylor Tetone out. Pinch hitter Jordon Keeton stepped to the plate with two outs on the board and smacked an RBI single up the middle, sending Dowdle home from third for the 2-1 lead.

The Lancers came back with a sacrifice fly to left field to tie the game, 2-2, in the bottom half of the sixth frame.

After ending regulation still tied, the Lopes and the Lancers played four scoreless innings before a sacrifice fly from freshman Savannah Tourville sent senior Shea Smith home from third in the top of the 12th frame for the 3-2 lead.

Aguilar (5-3) grabbed a strikeout and forced two groundouts to end the game on top. The right-hander threw 5.0 innings of relief work for starter Ryan Denhart who threw 7.0 frames.

GAME 2
With two on in the top of the first, Tourville sent Shea Smith home from second base with an RBI single to left center field. Freshman Taylor Olsen followed it with a sacrifice fly to right field to send senior Sierra Smith home for the 2-0 lead.

A two-out RBI single up the middle from junior Loriann Olson sent senior Taylor Kaye home from second for the 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth.

Sierra Smith continued the scoring in the top of the fifth frame with a first-pitch home run over the center field wall, her fourth of the season. Dowdle added an RBI double to the left field corner to send pinch runner Christine Bellavia home from third for the 5-0 lead in the top of the fifth frame.

After 5.0 innings of shutout softball with four strikeouts for sophomore Yessie Morrison (7-4), fellow sophomore Lexy Coons came in and served four strikeouts in 2.0 innings of work to seal the game.

The Lopes and the Lancers return tomorrow for the series finale at Noon (Phoenix time), as GCU looks for the sweep and its 12th-straight victory.