Zufelt's walk-off homer lifts GCU

Sunday, February 9

Phoenix, Ariz.

12:30 p.m.

Grand Canyon

1-5

New Mexico

2-3

New Mexico

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Elizabeth Tinajero

2/9/2020 3:53:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Lopes record 1st win of season on freshman's winner

Grand Canyon earned its first win of the season in walk-off fashion Sunday when freshman Olivia Zufelt homered to give the Lopes a 7-6 win over New Mexico in the GCU Kickoff Tournament finale.

Zufelt entered as a pinch-hitter in the fifth inning, when she tied the game with a three-run double to the right-center field gap, and remained as a designated player for the one-out, solo home run to center field on a 1-2 pitch in the seventh inning.

"This definitely was not the weekend that I anticipated," GCU head coach Ann Pierson said of the team's 1-5 tourney. "Our results played out very differently in my head. We had to change up some combinations on the offensive lineup and on defense, which is good early on because we are getting to see a lot of combinations that we like and that we don't like. Differently things that may or may not work and it gave a lot of kids some opportunities so that part was good.

"We just weren't putting it all together. I would like to see us perform a lot better early on, but we are six games into the season, and we have 50 games left so its definitely not anything to be panicking about. There is always a lot of parity in the first weekend of the season across the board and I did get to see a lot of really good things. I saw some good pitches out of our pitchers some good catching out of three of our catchers great plays in the outfield and infield, really strong base-running, great at bats. So we saw a lot. Now it's just a matter of putting it all together and getting everyone working on all cylinders together and still just trying to figure out our identity and personality as a team."

New Mexico (2-3) struck first Sunday, scoring two runs in the first inning. In the bottom of the fourth, GCU junior catcher Lilly Bishop hit her first home run of the season to cut the Lobo lead to 2-1. In the top of the fifth, New Mexico tacked on two more runs to increase its lead to 4-1, but GCU rallied in the bottom of the fifth.

A single up the middle by freshman center fielder Mickey Covarrubio started the comeback. Freshman right fielder Jaiden Reid and sophomore second baseman Savannah Tourville reached safely to load the bases with one out for GCU.

Zufelt's first-pitch double cleared the bases and tied the score at 4-4. Zuflet later scored from third on a sacrifice fly from Bishop to give the Lopes their first lead at 5-4. Heads-up base running allowed sophomore left fielder Gianna Nicoletti to score on the New Mexico catcher's throw to second for a 6-4 lead.

However, the Lobos were not going to go down without a fight. They tied the score again with two runs on three hits in the top of the sixth inning. GCU junior pitcher Lexy Coons managed to keep the Lobos off the board in the seventh inning, giving Zufelt the chance for the walk-off home run.

"There was a lot of excitement coming into this weekend and, as a team, we were anxious to play," Zufelt said. "The double in the fifth inning would have meant nothing if we did not have any runners on and everyone on our team has the ability to hit the ball out of the park. Today, I just happened to be the one that was allowed the opportunity. Overall, today's game took our whole team and it was a great team win."

Pierson added, "I was pleased with all of our freshmen. They did a great job getting in when they had their opportunities and taking care of business and staying ready. Obviously, we had some go in and really perform and grab a spot to stay in the lineup. That was very encouraging. Ozzy (Zufelt) was unconscious all weekend, but we have been seeing that out of her the entire month of January and it was really fun to watch her get opportunities and just make the most out of them.

"This was a great way to end the weekend too with some momentum, some excitement and we need to build on that as we head to Texas."

GCU heads to Waco, Texas, on Friday for the Getterman Classic starting on Friday.