Lopes win 2 on memorable Friday night

Friday, February 14

Phoenix, Ariz.

4 p.m.

Grand Canyon

7-1

Belmont

3-4

Belmont

Grand Canyon

2/14/2025 10:45:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GCU beats Washington for 1st time after defeating Belmont

By: Braden Dohrmann

Grand Canyon's bats showed up in a huge way Friday, leading the Lopes to wins over Belmont and Washington.

GCU faced an ace from Belmont (3-4) who threw a perfect game last weekend and a Washington program that they had never beaten in program history. The Lopes move to 8-1 on the season.

"These were huge wins," GCU head coach Shanon Hays said. "We faced a great pitcher for Belmont who had only given up one hit all season, and of course, we had to battle and put together great at bats to beat Washington."

GCU beats Belmont 6-1

The Lopes led from the get-go behind a stellar outing by senior pitcher Meghan Golden. The win put Hays 100 wins above .500 in his GCU.

In the first inning, Lopes sophomore second baseman Savannah Kirk singled, stole second and made her way to third on junior center fielder Sydney McCray;s sacrifice bunt. Krik scored on a passed ball before GCU had hit a ball out of the infield.

A five-hit fourth inning strengthened the GCU lead to 5-0. The inning began with a McCray triple, the first for the Lopes all season. Graduate outfielder Makaiya Gomez brought her home on an RBI single. After a single by senior designated player Emily Gonzalez single, graduate left fielder Mia Weckel ripped a double down the right-field line. That set the stage for sophomore catcher Tinley Lucas, who scorched a double into left-center field to score Weckel and sophomore pinch-runner Haley Wolsky.

Through five innings, Golden had allowed five hits with five strikeouts and kept the Bruins off the board. Golden moved to 2-0 on the season with the win.

GCU senior pitcher Emily Darwin took over for Golden in the sixth inning with the bases loaded and an out. Just one pitch was needed from Darwin, as Belmont's Grace Gressly lined into a double play and the Lopes escaped the inning.

After Darwin allowed a leadoff solo home run in the seventh, she gave way for freshman Oakley Vickers to close out the Lopes' fourth straight win.

GCU beats Washington 9-5

Two GCU long balls highlighted an impressive offensive showing and a huge win over perennial powerhouse Washington.

The Huskies struck quickly with a leadoff single and two-run bomb before GCU recorded an out. Lopes junior starting pitcher Taryn Batterton had not given up a run all season leading into the game. She settled in nicely, going the next three innings with shutout ball.

GCU answered with a run in the bottom of the second when freshman designated player Jada Cooper put a two-out line drive into left field, scoring freshman pinch-runner Briah Williams.

In the third inning, speed killed for the Lopes. Kirk and McCray outran plays for infield singles. After a Gomez RBI single up the middle to tie the game at 2-2, sophomore catcher Tinley Lucas came up to the plate with two outs and two runners on base.

Lucas filled the five-hole of the starting lineup vs. the Huskies, marking her highest spot in the lineup this season. On a full count, Lucas hit a towering fly ball to left field that left the yard with ease. Her second home run in as many days gave the Lopes a 5-2 lead.

"Tinley did not hit the ball well last week," Hays said. "This week, she worked hard and re-calibrated. This week, she has her swing going and is seeing the ball quite well."

Junior first baseman Emily Gonzalez hit a tank to deep-center field, giving the Lopes a 7-2 lead. The moment followed up her first multi-hit game of her GCU career in the Belmont game.

"Emily has been hitting the ball so hard," Hays said. "It was great to see her take big swings, and things go her way."

Washington scored three in the sixth, making things interesting at GCU Softball Stadium. However, GCU answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning with two runs. Gomez ripped an RBI double into right-center field, scoring McCray who put together a three-run night.

GCU sophomore pitcher Maggie Place shut the door in the seventh inning after entering in the sixth.

The Lopes will return to action Saturday at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. (Phoenix time), when they host No. 20-ranked Oregon and North Dakota, respectively.