Lopes split first day of WAC series

Friday, March 17

Huntsville, Texas

2 p.m. (MST)

Grand Canyon

22-3, 1-0

Sam Houston

9-19, 0-1

Grand Canyon

Sam Houston

3/17/2023 9:51:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GCU goes 1-1 against Sam Houston

By: Adrianna Candelaria

Grand Canyon split the first day of WAC play in Huntsville, Texas against Sam Houston on Friday.

GCU claims first extra innings victory

Senior right fielder Kristin Fifield led the Lopes with three hits and two runs in an eight inning thriller.

In the top of the third, Fifield doubled to left center, sending junior shortstop Katelyn Dunckel home for the Lopes first run, and hit a solo home run in the top of sixth to tie the score 2-2 and ultimately send the game to extra innings.

Senior designated player Ramsay Lopez reached on a fielder's choice to bring senior center fielder Hannah Burnett in for a Lopes lead and eventual winning run in the top of the eighth.

GCU pitchers Ariel Thompson (senior), Emily Darwin (sophomore), and Meghan Golden (sophomore) combined for a total of seven strikeouts, seven walks, and seven hits. Darwin improved to 5-1 while Golden earned her first save of the season.

Lopes lose game two to Bearkats

Seemingly carrying their momentum into the second game, the Lopes loaded up on runs early, tallying five with RBIs from junior first baseman Kaitlyn Brannstrom (2 RBI), junior left fielder Kayla Rodgers and senior catcher Kinsey Koeltzow (2 RBI).

But the Bearkats quickly made up ground in the second and third innings, surpassing the Lopes with seven runs, after three RBIs, a GCU fielding error, and a 3-run home run.

In the bottom of the fifth Lopez homered to center field, in hopes of keeping the Lopes fire alive, but their flames unfortunately fizzled when Sam Houston posted two additional runs in the bottom of the sixth and contained the GCU offense in the top of the seventh.

The Lopes posted four errors, ultimately resulting in three runs, as Junior Hailey Hudson, freshman Taryn Batterton and Thompson combined for six strikeouts, five walks, and nine hits in the circle.

GCU will face Sam Houston tomorrow at 10 a.m. (Phoenix Time) in the final game of the WAC series.