GCU's late rally comes up inches short Friday night

Friday, April 3

Phoenix, Ariz.

7 p.m.

Grand Canyon

37-3, 10-1

Nevada

25-13, 7-4

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Nevada	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	4	10	0
Grand Canyon	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	3	4	1

Photo by: David Kadlubowski

4/3/2026 10:57:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Grand Canyon looks to win series Saturday afternoon

By: Braden Dohrmann

Most teams win some and lose some. The Lopes win most and lose every once in a while. Friday night was every once in a while, as second-place Nevada held off GCU's late rally to win 4-3 at GCU Softball Stadium.

A four-run second inning for the Wolf Pack proved to be enough as a slow night at the plate for the GCU offense kept it from reaching the four-run mark.

Lopes senior Taryn Batterton earned her first loss of the season in the circle, as the starter lasted just an inning, when she allowed three consecutive hits to start the second inning. Junior right-hander Maggie Place inherited the busy basepaths, allowing another two runs, attributed to Batterton.

Sophomore left-hander Oakley Vickers pitched three innings of scoreless relief for GCU, followed up by junior Alina Satcher and freshman Lilly Camp, who combined for five outs and kept the Wolf Pack at four runs through the seventh frame.

Nevada outhit GCU 10-4 while also leaving 11 runners on base. The Lopes received their first hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth, when sophomore first baseman Jada Cooper hit a big fly over center field. Her 11th bomb of the season seemed to spark something in the offense, as senior designated player Emily Gonzalez doubled two batters later to bring freshman Addison Shifflett to third base after she was hit by pitch.

With runners on second and third and just one out, juniors Tinley Lucas and Mackenzie Nolan both went down swinging to end the inning.

The same tandem stepped up in the seventh, when GCU made one last-ditch effort to come all the way back from trailing by three. Lucas sent a charge to the opposite field, lining a two-run homer over the fence to bring the game within one run and still no outs. She scored freshman Morgan Campbell, who pinch ran for Gonzalez after her inning-opening walk.

Nolan followed the home run with a line-drive double down the left-field line, putting the tying run in scoring position with still zero outs. Sophomore Ellie Pond pinch-ran for Nolan as redshirt freshman Haley Wilkinson stepped to the plate.

Wilkinson did her job, dropping a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Pond to third base, also flipping the lineup over to senior center fielder Sydney McCray at the leadoff spot. McCray, most known for her slapping abilities, swung away in her at bat, something she has added to her repertoire this season. With a 2-1 count, McCray popped the ball up to shallow center where Nevada's Bailie Clark awaited the ball.

Clark received it and fired a ball on line toward home plate, where Pond was tagged out. The ball beat Pond by a step and a half and the tag was applied successfully. A review was held to check for obstruction, as Nevada catcher Karolyn Glover blocked the plate for part of the play. However, the call stood because Glover had enough time to move part of her body out of the basepath and make the play.

Nevada was in dire need of the win, as a loss would have put them five games behind the Lopes in the conference race for the No. 1 seed and regular-season championship. GCU dropped to 10-1 in conference, now holding a three-game lead on the Wolf Pack and UNLV, who both sit at 7-4 in MW play.

Grand Canyon entered the game at No. 27 in the national RPI rankings, the best ranking in program history. The Lopes will come back Saturday at 1 p.m. in hopes to salvage the series against Nevada. The game can be watched on Arizona's Family Sports and MW Network.