GCU run-rules SU, splits pair

Friday, April 26

Phoenix, Ariz.

5 p.m.

Grand Canyon

28-19, 0

Seattle U

31-15, 0

Seattle U

Grand Canyon

4/26/2019 8:57:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Sierra Smith smacks 5 hits, 3 RBI

By: Fletcher Like

In a battle of the WAC's top two teams, the Grand Canyon softball team split a Friday night doubleheader with Seattle U at GCU Softball Stadium. The split sets the teams up for a rubber match at 6 p.m. Saturday, when the Lopes celebrate four graduating seniors in Maddie Dowdle, Taylor Kaye, Shea Smith and Sierra Smith.

With the split, Seattle maintains a one-game lead on GCU for first place in the WAC with four games remaining in conference play for both squads.

Game 1
The Lopes opened the scoring in the second inning by stringing two hits together. Senior third baseman Sierra Smith singled up the middle before scoring from first on sophomore catcher Kaylee Dietrich's RBI double to the gap in right.

Seattle U evened the scoring in the top of the third inning on three hits but stranded a pair in scoring position.

GCU answered back in the bottom half of the third inning with a run of their own. Shortstop Shea Smith singled, stole second and moved to third on the same play after a throwing error by the catcher and then scored on freshman second baseman Savannah Tourville's sacrifice fly.

The flood gates burst in the fourth inning for the Lopes as they scored a season-high eight runs in the inning, using small ball and the long ball to push the lead to 10-1.

Leading off the inning and scoring twice, Sierra Smith led off with a single before hitting a two-run homer later in the frame. When the dust settled, the Lopes sent 11 to the plate, scored eight runs on eight hits and tagged the Redhawks ace for nine runs as Carley Nance (15-8) saw her ERA in WAC games jump from 1.54 to 3.16 with eight earned runs.

Slightly overshadowed by the offense, GCU starter Ryan Denhart did Ryan Denhart things in the circle. The sophomore (10-5) struck out four, gave up one run on six hits and allowed one free pass via a hit batter.

Game 2
In the second game, the Redhawks jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first two innings. Seattle U scored three runs in the first and two in the second to subdue any momentum GCU could carry over from the opener.

SU took advantage of an early error by Shea Smith and scored all of their first-inning runs with two outs. A double from second baseman Kaylee Ree scored a pair and designated player Nance singled in Ree chasing GCU sophomore starter Yessie Morrison (9-6).

In the second inning, back-to-back walks and an error on a bunt loaded the bases for SU. It looked like GCU would get out of the inning unscathed after a double play on a base-running blunder by Seattle U, but a Madison Cathcart double scored two.

GCU started to figure out Seattle starter Shianne Smith (7-4) in the fourth and fifth innings.

In the fourth, the Smith sisters delivered singles to plate a run. In the fifth inning, GCU continued the scoring when Tourville's seventh home run of the year pinged off the left-field foul pole, plating two.

Seattle U tacked on an insurance run in the seventh on a home run from catcher Bailey Thompson.

The two will meet for a rubber match at 6 p.m.Saturday from GCU Softball Stadium.