GCU beats Weber State handily Thursday night

Thursday, February 13

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

6-1

Weber State

3-3

Weber State

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Chris Baumgardner

2/13/2025 8:45:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Washington High duo from Oklahoma leads way offensively, defensively

By: Braden Dohrmann

Grand Canyon made quick work of Weber State on Thursday night, winning 9-1 in five innings to start the Littlewood Classic.

GCU (6-1) won in a season-low one hour and 15 minutes, leaving no doubt at GCU Softball Stadium.

Lopes sophomore starting pitcher Maggie Place cashed in her third win of the young season with five innings of one-run ball. The Wildcats (3-3) leadoff hitter Riley Whalen wasted no time, taking a Place full-count pitch deep for a 1-0 lead on the seventh pitch of the game.

Place then retired the next three hitters in three pitches, with all three swinging into first-pitch outs. Place did not look back, just allowing two more hits the rest of the way and not walking a batter. Place has gone 12 consecutive innings without giving up a walk and dropped ERA to 2.04.

On the offensive end, Place's high school catcher, sophomore Tinley Lucas, made her presence felt in the bottom of the first inning. Lucas hit a moonshot well over the left-field fence for a three-run home run to cap the Lopes six-run first inning.

The Lopes had not scored five or more runs in an inning this season and had not scored six in an inning since May 3, 2024.

Lucas, a Washington (Oklahoma) High School graduate with Place, went hitless in the opening weekend of the season, so it was a breath of fresh air for Lucas to contribute in a big way Thursday.

The home run hitters from the first weekend of the season also put together some good nights. Seniors Makaiya Gomez and Lovey Kepa'a both added two-hit games, with Gomez scoring twice as well.

Sophomore second baseman Savannah Kirk added to her beginning-of-the-year tear with another hit and stolen base. Kirk and the Lopes beat her little sister, Sadie, who started at third base and got a hit in the Wildcats' clean-up spot.

The Lopes have won three in a row for the second time this season but will be tested the rest of the weekend.

GCU will face Belmont and Washington, at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., respectively, on Friday night at GCU Sotball Stadium. The games will be streamed on ESPN+.