Upcoming Event: Softball versus Pima CC on September 30, 2025 at 6 p.m.
Softball
6 p.m.
vs Pima CC
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Saturday, May 11
Seattle, Wash.
1 p.m.
Grand Canyon
48-11
9
vs
2
California Baptist
33-25
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
California Baptist
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
2
2
2
Grand Canyon
1
2
0
1
0
5
X
9
9
1
Photo by: David Kadlubowski
GCU rises for WAC Tournament's 1st-ever 3-peat
5/11/2024 3:49:00 PM | Softball, Paul Coro
Championship rout features combined 2-hitter, back-to-back homers in 5-run 6th
SEATTLE – Only Grand Canyon softball can carry the banner of a WAC Tournament three-peat.
GCU made a double dose of history Saturday, becoming the WAC Tournament's first-ever team to win three consecutive championships while also setting a single-season program record with their 48th victory – a 9-2 title game win against California Baptist at Logan Field.
The Lopes (48-11), with the nation's eight-best winning percentage (.814), are headed to their third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance and will learn their regional fate from a 4 p.m. Sunday selection show on ESPN2.
"All through the lineup, we've got just great people, great character," said Lopes three-year head coach Shanon Hays, whose team broke last season's 47-win record. "When you've got nine seniors like we do, it's great to see them succeed because they put the work in."
The Lopes blew the game open in the bottom of the sixth, when a two-out rally took a 4-2 lead to 9-2 in a stretch of five pitches and made senior Hailey Hudson's and junior Meghan Golden's combined two-hitter stand up.
Following two walks, two outs and a steal that led to a run-scoring error, GCU graduate right fielder Kristin Fifield laced an opposite-field double to the left-center gap to take the lead to 6-2.
On the next pitch, graduate designated player Ramsay Lopez rocketed a home run just right of the right-field scoreboard for an 8-2 advantage. It was Lopez's team-leading 14th home run of the season and 69th of her career, tying her with UCLA's Maya Brady for the fourth most among all active Division I players.
"I was just looking for something outside, and that was exactly where I wanted it," Lopez said. "CBU has great pitchers. I knew I had to be aggressive because they were going to come right at me too."
GCU junior center fielder Makaiya Gomez polished off the scoring and the game, giving the Lopes back-to-back home runs with an arching blast to right field for a 9-2 lead and the catch of the final out in the bottom of the seventh. Gomez had not homered since March 22 and has four this season.
Hudson, the WAC Pitcher of the Year, opened Saturday's game dominantly, striking out the side in the first inning. The 15-5 pitcher exited with a 4-2 lead after another perfect inning in the fifth. Golden followed with two perfect innings, including three consecutive strikeouts.
The Lopes trailed 1-0 in the second inning on a CBU solo home run, but senior left fielder Kayla Rodgers came up clutch again, just as she had to be the 2023 WAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player. With two outs and two on, Rodgers roped an 0-2 pitch to right field to score two runs for a 3-1 lead.
After the Lancers cut the lead to 3-2 in the third, GCU graduate center fielder Ashley Trierweiler stretched the lead back to two in the fourth. On her 2-for-4 day in a.464 hitting season, the WAC Player of the Year lined an RBI single up the middle to score a run and make freshman Tinley Lucas' leadoff double count. Trierweiler won WAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player for a 5-for-11 tourney with three doubles.
Golden and Hudson handled all of the pitching in three tournament wins, allowing only three earned runs for a 1.00 tournament ERA. Opponents mustered two hits in each of the semifinal and championships games.
"We're really lucky to have the roster that we have," Hays said. "We only threw two pitchers in these three games, and we've got five super pitchers who could be all-conference pitchers in the WAC. It's hard to be a good teammate when you're that kind of talent and sit on the bench, but these girls have bought in with leaders like Ramsay (Lopez). It's just a special group."
The 3-0 sweep through the tournament was reflective of how GCU dominated the conference during the regular season. The Lopes were 23-3 in conference play for the best winning percentage (.883) of any WAC team since New Mexico State in 2016 and most conference wins since Fresno State in 1999.
GCU claimed five of the 11 WAC All-Tournament Team spots with Fifield, Golden, Lopez and Rodgers joining Trierweiler.
"It means a lot," Lopez said. "We worked really hard for this. I think we just had so much fun during the whole season. We just came really close together and had a great team chemistry. It helped us get to this moment. This means so much. We just put so much in for the preseason just to make it to postseason."
GCU made a double dose of history Saturday, becoming the WAC Tournament's first-ever team to win three consecutive championships while also setting a single-season program record with their 48th victory – a 9-2 title game win against California Baptist at Logan Field.
The Lopes (48-11), with the nation's eight-best winning percentage (.814), are headed to their third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance and will learn their regional fate from a 4 p.m. Sunday selection show on ESPN2.
"All through the lineup, we've got just great people, great character," said Lopes three-year head coach Shanon Hays, whose team broke last season's 47-win record. "When you've got nine seniors like we do, it's great to see them succeed because they put the work in."The Lopes blew the game open in the bottom of the sixth, when a two-out rally took a 4-2 lead to 9-2 in a stretch of five pitches and made senior Hailey Hudson's and junior Meghan Golden's combined two-hitter stand up.
Following two walks, two outs and a steal that led to a run-scoring error, GCU graduate right fielder Kristin Fifield laced an opposite-field double to the left-center gap to take the lead to 6-2.
On the next pitch, graduate designated player Ramsay Lopez rocketed a home run just right of the right-field scoreboard for an 8-2 advantage. It was Lopez's team-leading 14th home run of the season and 69th of her career, tying her with UCLA's Maya Brady for the fourth most among all active Division I players.
"I was just looking for something outside, and that was exactly where I wanted it," Lopez said. "CBU has great pitchers. I knew I had to be aggressive because they were going to come right at me too."
GCU junior center fielder Makaiya Gomez polished off the scoring and the game, giving the Lopes back-to-back home runs with an arching blast to right field for a 9-2 lead and the catch of the final out in the bottom of the seventh. Gomez had not homered since March 22 and has four this season.Hudson, the WAC Pitcher of the Year, opened Saturday's game dominantly, striking out the side in the first inning. The 15-5 pitcher exited with a 4-2 lead after another perfect inning in the fifth. Golden followed with two perfect innings, including three consecutive strikeouts.
The Lopes trailed 1-0 in the second inning on a CBU solo home run, but senior left fielder Kayla Rodgers came up clutch again, just as she had to be the 2023 WAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player. With two outs and two on, Rodgers roped an 0-2 pitch to right field to score two runs for a 3-1 lead.
After the Lancers cut the lead to 3-2 in the third, GCU graduate center fielder Ashley Trierweiler stretched the lead back to two in the fourth. On her 2-for-4 day in a.464 hitting season, the WAC Player of the Year lined an RBI single up the middle to score a run and make freshman Tinley Lucas' leadoff double count. Trierweiler won WAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player for a 5-for-11 tourney with three doubles.
Golden and Hudson handled all of the pitching in three tournament wins, allowing only three earned runs for a 1.00 tournament ERA. Opponents mustered two hits in each of the semifinal and championships games.
"We're really lucky to have the roster that we have," Hays said. "We only threw two pitchers in these three games, and we've got five super pitchers who could be all-conference pitchers in the WAC. It's hard to be a good teammate when you're that kind of talent and sit on the bench, but these girls have bought in with leaders like Ramsay (Lopez). It's just a special group."The 3-0 sweep through the tournament was reflective of how GCU dominated the conference during the regular season. The Lopes were 23-3 in conference play for the best winning percentage (.883) of any WAC team since New Mexico State in 2016 and most conference wins since Fresno State in 1999.
GCU claimed five of the 11 WAC All-Tournament Team spots with Fifield, Golden, Lopez and Rodgers joining Trierweiler.
"It means a lot," Lopez said. "We worked really hard for this. I think we just had so much fun during the whole season. We just came really close together and had a great team chemistry. It helped us get to this moment. This means so much. We just put so much in for the preseason just to make it to postseason."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hudson, Hailey (15-5)
L: Presley Hosick (13-7)
S: Golden, Meghan (3)
Batting:
HR: Kalena Burns 1
RBI: Kayla Lyon 1 ; Kalena Burns 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kalena Burns 1 ; Cayla Crawford 1
HBP: M. Russell-Millen 1
Batting:
2B: Trierweiler, Ashley 1 ; Fifield, Kristin 1 ; Lucas, Tinley 1
HR: Lopez, Ramsay 1 ; Gomez, Makaiya 1
RBI: Trierweiler, Ashley 1 ; Rodgers, Kayla 2 ; Fifield, Kristin 1 ; Lopez, Ramsay 3 ; Gomez, Makaiya 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Rodgers, Kayla 2 ; Fifield, Kristin 1 ; Lopez, Ramsay 1 ; Gomez, Makaiya 1 ; Kirk, Savannah 1 ; Lucas, Tinley 1 ; Smythe, Brynn-Jordan 1 ; Lutu, Leinani 1
SB: Rodgers, Kayla 2 ; Wolsky, Haley 1 ; Kirk, Savannah 1 ; Smythe, Brynn-Jordan 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
UTIL
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballOF
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