Grand slams by Lopez, Brannstrom key Friday sweep

Friday, March 29

St. George, Utah

1 p.m.

Grand Canyon

28-8, 7-2

Utah Tech

11-19, 4-3

Grand Canyon

Utah Tech

3/29/2024 6:37:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Lopes win 4th consecutive WAC series with 4th straight doubleheader sweep

By: Adrianna Candelaria

ST. GEORGE, Utah — Grand Canyon swept its fourth consecutive WAC doubleheader, including twice his week, by putting away Utah Tech with seven-run innings in each road win Friday.

With six Lopez players having a multi-hit game, GCU (29-8, 8-2 WAC) expanded its hold on first place in the conference with three teams tied for second place at 5-3.

Lopes take Trailblazers in 6 innings

GCU tallied nine runs on 11 hits in its first Friday game at Utah Tech, defeating the Trailblazers 9-1in six innings. This marks the Lopes' seventh run-rule victory of the season.

Graduate designated player Ramsay Lopez led the Lopes and tied her season high of five RBIs, notching GCU's first run on a single through the left side, and the final runs of the game on her second grand slam of the season.

The Lopes posted an additional run in the third on a sacrifice fly by graduate right fielder Kristin Fifield for a 2-1 lead. Fifield has a team high of 40 RBIs this season, with Lopez hot on her trail at 38.

The sixth inning brought seven runs for GCU, beginning with a leadoff walk from senior left fielder Kayla Rodgers, a double to left center by freshman second baseman Savannah Groshong-Kirk and a single by freshman catcher Tinley Lucas to load the bases ahead of a pinch-hit RBI walk for junior Kaitlyn Brannstrom to lead 3-1 at Karl Brooks Field. With three on and no outs, senior shortstop Katelyn Dunckel stretched the lead to 5-1 by singling to left field, and brought Kirk and Lucas home.

The Lopes held the Trailblazers to one run on three hits, forcing the Utah Tech lineup down in order for three of the six innings. GCU junior pitcher Meghan Golden, now 8-2 on the season, threw her second consecutive three-hitter by striking out five of the 22 Trailblazers she faced.

GCU sweeps with 11-5 nightcap

Allowing Utah Tech a 2-0 lead at the end of the first inning in Friday's second game, GCU answered with a seven-run second inning on the way to sweeping the doubleheader with an 11-5 win.

The Lopes loaded the bases with junior center fielder Makaiya Gomez (hit by pitch), Rodgers (single up the middle) and Kirk (single to center field) to set the stage for a Brannstrom grand slam and a 4-2 lead.

With the bases cleared, junior third baseman Lovey Kepa'a smashed a solo home run to center field to put GCU ahead by three; Brannstrom and Kepa'a combined for the first back-to-back home runs of the season. Taking a 7-2 stance, Trierweiler and Lopez sequentially singled ahead of a Gomez double to right center that capped the seven-run inning's scoring.

The Lopes continued to make their dominant presence felt, even on defense, sending Utah Tech down in order in the second inning.

With Kepa'a reaching on an error and Dunckel boarding on a hit by pitch, Lopes head coach Shanon Hays placed pinch runners Haley Wolsky (freshman) and Leinani Lutu (sophomore) on base with both ultimately coming home on a wild pitch with a fielding error, and a sacrifice fly by graduate first baseman Ashley Trierweiler.

In attempts to catch GCU, Utah Tech managed a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth to reduce the Lopes' lead to 9-4.

After a scoreless fifth, Trierweiler led off the top of the sixth with a solo home run, for her second RBI of the night, followed by a Fifield single through the left side and a Gomez double for the Lopes' 11th run.

Lopes senior pitcher Hailey Hudson improved to 8-4 on the season, pitching 5 2/3 innings before graduate pitcher Megan Schumacher came in for a 1 1/3-inning relief.

Due to rain in the forecast, GCU will conclude the series on Saturday at 10:05 a.m. (Phoenix time) instead of the originally scheduled 11:05 a.m. first pitch at Utah Tech.