Grand Canyon University (GCU) had an amazing night, dominating both Montana and North Florida with scores of 8-0 and 9-0. This brings their season record to an impressive 13-0.
The Lopes’ success came from strong performances on the field. Senior pitcher Maggie Place and sophomore Oakley Vickers delivered solid games, while the team’s bats exploded for five home runs. Emily Gonzalez, in particular, shined by hitting three of them.
Coach Shanon Hays praised the team’s effort, saying, “We hit well against some tough pitching and kept the pressure on their defense.”
In the first game against Montana, GCU took charge early, scoring six runs in the second inning. After a groundout from Jada Cooper, the next six Lopes batters all reached base. Freshman Sarah Campbell contributed with a two-run single, while Trinity Martin added two RBIs with her hit.
Gonzalez stole the spotlight with a solo home run in the fifth inning and finished the game with multiple hits, demonstrating her growing confidence. Coach Hays remarked, “Emily is a pro hitter. You can only hold her down for so long.”
For the second game against North Florida, GCU faced a team with a strong start to the season, but quickly squashed any comeback hopes. They scored six runs in the first inning, thanks to standout plays from Sydney McCray and Raegan Holtorf, who hit her first career home run. The excitement continued as Gonzalez homered right afterward.
Gonzalez reflected on her performance, saying, “I felt relaxed tonight. I trusted the process and my coach’s support.”
With Vickers in the circle, the Lopes maintained their lead. She dominated with another scoreless outing, improving her season ERA to just 1.18 over nearly 24 innings pitched.
As of now, GCU is one of only six undefeated teams in the country, joining powerhouse programs like Florida and Alabama. They’re set to face UC Santa Barbara next, a team that also won earlier in the day.
Gonzalez summed up the team’s momentum: “We’ve worked hard for these results, and we’re going to keep improving every week.”
In sports, staying focused and continuously improving is vital. The Lopes are showing they can do just that as they move forward in their season.
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