Courtesy of Grand Canyon Athletics
ALBUQUERQUE – The Lopes came out on top of a pitcher’s duel Saturday afternoon, winning 4-1 behind two-run innings in the 4th and 5th frames.
GCU sophomore left-hander Oakley Vickers led the way in the circle for the Lopes, going four innings, just allowing a run and striking out six batters. She improved on her conference-best record, now holding a 9-0 record to start the season.
Freshman Abi Jones, who has moved into a go-to relief role for Grand Canyon over the last few weeks, finished the final three innings in the circle, only allowing three base runners and striking out four herself. She earned the first save of her college career.
Averaging eight hits per game coming into the series, the Lopes added another eight knocks in game two. Jada Cooper was the one player in the lineup with multiple hits, homering on the first pitch of the fourth inning to break a 0-0 tie. Just a day after Cooper hammered a ball to deep right center that was caught at the warning track, the sophomore DP left no doubt about her team-best seventh home run leaving the yard.
The blast got the bats going, as freshman right fielder Addison Shifflett got on with an infield single, moved to third on a wild pitch and ground ball, and scored on a sacrifice fly from Trinity Martin.
GCU added two more runs in the fifth, thanks to a common recipe for success this season: A Sydney McCray single, steal and Raegan Holtorf RBI single to score McCray. Holtorf moved to second on the throw home, putting her in line to score standing up a couple batter later. Shifflett hammered a hard ground ball to first base, proving to be too hot to handle for the UNM first baseman. The ball made it down the line, scoring Holtorf and bringing Shifflett to second base.
Seven of the nine starters earned a hit on the day, with McCray moving her hit streak to five games.
Scores around the country were noteworthy for the Lopes as well, as the other remaining undefeated teams in the country alongside Grand Canyon, both fell in their SEC matchups.
Tennessee dropped a 1-0 ball game at Mississippi State, while Alabama lost at home to top-ten ranked Arkansas.
At 29-0, GCU is the only undefeated team in the nation, riding the conference and program’s best start in both’s histories.
Grand Canyon and New Mexico wrap their opening series of Mountain West play, Sunday at 9 a.m. (Phoenix time), 10 a.m. (N.M.). The game was moved up two hours in hopes to avoid expected wind gusts of up to 30 MPH Sunday morning in Albuquerque.
