Lopes clinch final WAC series of season

Friday, May 5

Phoenix, Ariz.

4:30 p.m.

Grand Canyon

41-11, 0

Southern Utah

6-31, 0

Southern Utah

Grand Canyon

5/5/2023 11:02:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GCU run-rules Southern Utah twice in Friday doubleheader

By: Adrianna Candelaria

Grand Canyon (42-11, 16-7 WAC) swept Friday's opening pair of home conference series against Southern Utah with run-rule wins. The Lopes held the Thunderbirds to only a single inning of scoring in the games to clinch the final series of the regular season, sealing each win with a five-run inning at GCU Softball Stadium.

"It was nice to come out and take care of business," Lopes head coach Shanon Hays said. "Both pitchers threw well, and we finally got our offense going."

Kepa'a's 1st homer claims run-rule win in Game 1

The Lopes completed a 9-1 defeat of the Thunderbirds in the Friday night opener with a three-run home run in the sixth inning by sophomore second baseman Lovey Kepa'a, her first home run for GCU.

After forcing an up-and-down Southern Utah top of the sixth, the Lopes added to a 4-1 lead by scoring five sixth-inning runs on three hits and two errors to seal an early victory.

GCU freshman pinch runner Emma Rodrigues advanced to second base when senior third baseman Madison Schaefer reached base on an error and rounded the bases with a single up the middle from junior left fielder Kayla Rodgers; who moved to second on a throwing error that put Schaefer to third.

Lopes senior pinch hitter Annie Villalobos then sent Rodgers to third and Schaefer home on a single that set Kepa'a up for her three-run, game-ending home run. Senior first baseman Kristin Fifield recorded three RBIs in Game 1 with her 19th homer of the season, a first-pitch, two-run blast in the fifth inning to push GCU's lead to 4-1.

In the bottom of the third, Kepa'a reached on an error and scored when junior shortstop Katelyn Dunckel made it aboard on another error.

Lopes senior pitcher Ariel Thompson (11-3) struck out six batters in a complete-game three-hitter with no earned runs allowed.

Lopes sweep doubleheader with 7 unanswered runs

GCU came out swinging in the Friday nightcap, scoring two or more runs in three of its four offensive innings to outhit Southern Utah 12 to 2 in a 10-2 victory.

Lopes senior center fielder Hannah Burnett, who went 5 for 6 on Friday, led off with a single to the pitcher and sped home on Fifield's double to center field for GCU's first run. With one on and two outs, junior first baseman Katelyn Brannstrom hit her seventh home run of the season, stacking a 3-0 lead.

As Southern Utah answered with two unearned runs in the third, GCU jumped back in the driver's seat, posting two runs on a senior designated player Ramsay Lopez home run, her 17th of the season, and a Rodgers RBI single for a 5-2 lead.

GCU scored five runs on six hits in the bottom of the fourth, as Burnett once again singled and come home on a Fifield double to ignite the Lopes' last-inning energy. Dunckel hit Fifield home with a single to left field before Lopez sent her across the bases on a single through the left side for an 8-2 lead.

A pinch-hit double from Brannstrom allowed junior pinch runner Mikaela Payne to score, before Schaefer notched the Lopes' fourth double of the game and the final RBI of the night.

The Lopes host the Southern Utah series finale on Saturday at 1 p.m. with a Senior Day celebration to follow.

"Playing well tomorrow is key for us to enter the WAC Tournament on a good note," Hays said.