Golden pitches 2nd no-hitter of season in Friday split

Friday, March 10

Phoenix, Ariz.

12:30 p.m.

Grand Canyon

22-2

Abilene Christian

6-17

Abilene Christian

Grand Canyon

Golden pitches 2nd no-hitter of season in Friday split

3/10/2023 8:08:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GCU shuts out Abilene Christian in 5, falls 4-3 to Colorado State

By: Adrianna Candelaria

Grand Canyon sophomore pitcher Meghan Golden threw her second no-hitter of the season as part of Grand Canyon's split to start the GCU Invitational on Friday, when the Lopes shut out WAC counterpart Abilene Christian 8-0 in five innings before taking a 4-3 loss to Colorado State at GCU Softball Stadium.

Golden pitches 2nd no-hitter of season

The Lopes were firing on all cylinders during their matchup against Abilene Christian as Golden, now 5-0, threw 11 strikeouts in her second no-hitter of the season. The GCU offense backed Golden with three home runs, worth six of their eight runs.

Golden, one walk shy of her first perfect game, contributed at least two strikeouts in every Wildcat at bat, nearing her career single-game strikeout record of 15 in the shortened, run-rule game. The Peoria Centennial High School graduate etched three shutouts with Northern Colorado last season; a feat that is within reach again at the midpoint of the Lopes' schedule.

GCU pitchers have posted four no-hitters on the season.

Lopes senior designated played Ramsay Lopez came out swinging in the bottom of the first, putting the Lopes first score on the board with a three-run home run to left center. GCU continued its momentum, and hit through nearly the entire order, as senior third baseman Madison Schaefer singled to left center and stole second before junior first baseman Kaitlyn Brannstrom sent a base hit to right center for an RBI.

Up 4-0, Golden smothered the Wildcats by striking out the side, retiring each batter looking, and sent the Lopes back on offense in the bottom of the second.

As junior shortstop Katelyn Dunckel boarded the bases on a hit by pitch, senior right fielder Kristin Fifield shot a triple out to left center, allowing Dunckel to come home, and put the Lopes up 5-0.

Maintaining that lead through the bottom of the fifth, Rodgers singled to center field before Branstromm and senior catcher Annie Villalobos blasted back-to-back Lopes home runs to make the lead 8-0.

Lopes suffer 3rd loss of season

In an afternoon battle against Colorado State, the Lopes recorded eight hits for three runs but was hurt by three errors that alloweed the Rams to score three unearned runs in their 4-3 victory.

Although Colorado State scored first off a leadoff double in the top of the first, GCU answered the call with Dunckel and Fifield hitting back-to-back doubles and Branstrom singling to take a 2-1 lead.

Holding the Rams steady through the fourth, the Lopes saw starting pitcher junior Hailey Hudson record three strikeouts in the top of the second to strand two Rams on base and post a perfect half-inning in the top of the third.

In the bottom of the fourth, GCU went up 3-1 when senior second baseman Macee Barnes doubled to left center to score Schaefer, who had doubled, for the Lopes 11th run of the day.

However, Colorado State stayed patient and ultimately took the lead when GCU made three costly errors in the top of the fifth, allowing three Rams to score.

In a 4-3 uphill battle, the Lopes struggled to find consistent rhythm, leaving one runner on base in each of the bottoms of the fifth and sixth, and two on base in the bottom of the seventh.

GCU will face Colorado State again at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday with a 3 p.m. game following against Abilene Christian at GCU Softball Stadium.

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Next Event

Colorado State

W, 8-3

Mar 11 (Sat)

12:30 p.m.

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Full Schedule

Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Golden, Meghan (5-0)

L: White, Riley (2-7)

Grand Canyon

Batting:

3B: Fifield, Kristin 1

HR: Lopez, Ramsay 1 ; Brannstrom, Kaitlyn 1 ; Villalobos, Annie 1

RBI: Fifield, Kristin 1 ; Lopez, Ramsay 3 ; Brannstrom, Kaitlyn 3 ; Villalobos, Annie 1

SH: Dunckel, Katelyn 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Burnett, Hannah 1 ; Dunckel, Katelyn 1 ; Fifield, Kristin 1 ; Lopez, Ramsay 1 ; Schaefer, Madison 1 ; Rodgers, Kayla 1 ; Brannstrom, Kaitlyn 1 ; Villalobos, Annie 1