Lopes win on walk-off homer again

Friday, February 14

Waco, Texas

11:30 a.m.

Grand Canyon

2-5

Western Illinois

2-6

Western Illinois

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Elizabeth Tinajero

2/14/2020 3:14:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Covarrubio game-winner followed by Game 2 loss

WACO, Texas — Grand Canyon won in walk-off fashion again when freshman center fielder Mickey Covarrubio homered to cap a two-out rally that gave the Lopes a 4-2 win over Western Illinois in its Getterman Classic opener on Friday. The Lopes fell 10-2 to Baylor in their second Friday game.

Covarrubio hit a two-run home run to right field on a 1-2 pitch to lift the Lopes past the Leathernecks. In its previous game at home on Sunday, GCU beat New Mexico when another freshman, Olivia Zufelt, smashed a walk-off home run.

Western Illinois (2-6) struck first, scoring on a two-run home run to left field in the third inning. GCU freshman shortstop Kristin Fifield led off the bottom of the third inning with a walk and made her way to third on two ground outs. Lopes junior first baseman Lilly Bishop laced a single up the middle, scoring Fifield and cutting the Leathernecks lead to 2-1.

GCU sophomore left fielder Gianna Nicoletti reached on an error and then stole second to give the Lopes some momentum in the bottom of the fourth inning. A single to left center by junior catcher Kaileigh Holland brought home Nicoletti and tied the game at 2-2.

In the bottom of the seventh with two outs, GCU junior third baseman Kaylee Dietrich kept the Lopes alive as she reached on an error to set up Covarrubio's walk-off home run.

Lopes score 1st, fall to Baylor in Game 2

GCU (2-6) struck first in the second inning after Nicoletti hit a leadoff infield single. Lopes freshman right fielder Jaiden Reid followed with a single up the middle. Reid and Nicoletti advanced to second and third, respectively, after a sacrifice bunt. Nicoletti scored on a sacrifice fly by Fifield. A two-out triple by junior third baseman Kaylee Dietrich gave the Lopes a 2-0 lead.

Baylor (5-2) cut the score in half after an infield single and a triple to center field. The Bears added seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, giving them an 8-2 lead. Baylor managed to tack on two more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning for a run-rule ending.

The Lopes are back in action on Friday as they take on Prairie View A&M at 9 a.m.(Phoenix time) at Baylor's Getterman Stadium.