Comeback falls short on Saturday

Saturday, March 23

Phoenix, Ariz.

1 p.m.

Grand Canyon

25-8, 4-2

Utah Valley

10-16, 4-2

Utah Valley

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Rachel Sollazzo

3/23/2024 4:18:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Lopes drop game 3 against Utah Valley

By: Adrianna Candelaria

After sweeping Friday night's double-header to win the series against Utah Valley, Grand Canyon drops the third and final game of the series on Saturday.

Crafty pitching and big bats in key moments pushed Utah Valley over the edge, with five pitching changes and three home runs worth six of its eight runs.

The Lopes held two Wolverines on base to start, allowing them to take an early lead in the bottom of the first on a single by senior left fielder Kayla Rodgers.

Utah Valley evened the score in the second with a solo home run lined over the left field wall, and took a 3-1 lead in the fourth with a two-run home run to right center, but junior third baseman Lovey Kepa'a halted the Wolverines momentum, hauling in an overhead line drive at third base and making the throw over to first for a double play.

With junior pitcher Emily Darwin in the circle, after finishing the top of the fourth for senior starting pitcher Ariel Thompson, GCU forced UVU down in the order with three consecutive ground outs in the top of the fifth.

The Lopes notched a second run in the fifth, loading the bases on a double by graduate right fielder Kristin Fifield, a walk by graduate designated player Ramsay Lopez, and an expert bunt by Rodgers, before junior center fielder Makaiya Gomez reached on a fielder's choice to shortstop to knock Fifield across.

But two GCU errors and five unanswered runs from the Wolverines through the sixth and seventh inning dug too deep of hole for the Lopes to recover.

GCU will host a double-header against California Baptist at 4:30 p.m. (Phoenix time) and 7 p.m. on Tuesday.