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Grand Canyon University Club Sports

GCU Club Softball huddle vs. NAU 2-15-25

Softball Jim Howell/GCU Club Sports Information Director

GCU Club Softball shocks 19th-ranked NAU with tripleheader sweep

Lopes use pair of one-run finishes to knock off Lumberjacks in season-opening series Saturday

Imagine what waiting until March might've done.
 
In the latest start ever to its National Club Softball Association Pacific Region South Conference season, the Grand Canyon University Club Softball team proved that "good things come to those who wait", kicking off its campaign with a tripleheader sweep of 19th-ranked Northern Arizona University Saturday at Paradise Valley High School in Phoenix. The Lopes battled from behind in their final at-bats to win Game 1, 8-7; jumped on the Lumberjacks' pitching early en route to a 10-1 'mercy rule' victory in Game 2, then clamped down on the NAU offense for the final four innings of a 6-5 triumph in the nightcap. It's the first sweep of NAU by the Lopes since 2019 and avenged the 'Jacks' sweep of the Lopes last April in Cottonwood.
 
Game 1:  GCU 8, NAU 7
 
The Lopes set the tone early, then had to set it again to win the game. Three straight hits to lead off the bottom of the 1st inning led to a 4-0 GCU lead. NAU scored a run in the top of the 3rd, but a Kadence Courtright RBI double in the bottom half kept the Lopes' four-run lead intact until the 5th. That's when the Lumberjacks sent 12 to the plate, plating half of those on six hits to give NAU a 7-5 lead. The 'Jacks maintained the lead until the bottom of the 7th when GCU 2nd baseman Denise Lopez cranked a solo homer to the deepest part of the park with one out to get the Lopes within a run. That set the table for a two-out rally, thanks to a Megan Reichley double, Courtright RBI single and an Emma Pinkstaff walkoff RBI double to plate Courtright to put the Lopes over the top. Courtright's 3-for-4 day and two runs batted in led the 12-hit attack, while Quincy Weinbender's 2 1/3 innings of one-hit ball in relief garnered her the win.
 
Game 2:  GCU 10, NAU 1 (F/5)
 
The Game 1 momentum officially carried over into Game 2 as the Lopes' offense chased NAU starting pitcher McKell Gordon after 2 2/3 innings, scoring all 10 runs during that stretch. Pinkstaff's 1st-inning single gave the Lopes a 2-0 lead; three NAU errors led to three more GCU runs in the 2nd inning, then GCU blew it open with a five-run 3rd. That was more than enough for Weinbender and reliever Taylor DeShon to keep the NAU offense quiet, allowing just five hits and an unearned run over five innings to invoke the eight-run mercy rule after the 5th. The single was Pinkstaff's only hit, but the Lopes' centerfielder had four RBI – two of them coming home on a deep fly out in the 5th that allowed both Lopez and Allison Wilson to tag and score.
 
Game 3:  GCU 6, NAU 5
 
Another hot start offensively, but this time, it happened for both teams as all 11 runs crossed the plate in the first three innings of the game. Each team used the others' generosity (walks, hit batters and errors) to score a run in each of the first two innings before the Lumberjacks took their largest lead of the day on Berdina Riggs' three-run blast with one out in the visitors' half of the 3rd. Undeterred, GCU marched right back in the bottom half of the frame with a Reichley leadoff homer, a Courtright double, and – after Weinbender was plunked by a pitch – a game-tying triple by Lopes' shortstop Anna Lye. The 'Jacks almost stranded Lye at 3rd base before a mammoth nine-pitch at-bat for Emily Reilly resulted in a sacrifice fly to right that plated Lye. From there, Weinbender – in her second relief appearance of the day – took over, allowing just two NAU hits over the final four innings, and retiring the side in order in the 7th to preserve the sweep. Reichley, Lopes and Courtright had two hits apiece in the win.
 
Despite the season's late start, the Lopes will head to Los Angeles, California, this coming weekend to square off against the University of Southern California for a tripleheader, then take a full month off. Their next home tripleheader happens on Saturday, March 22, when they host the Titans of Cal-State Fullerton in a 10AM first pitch at PVHS.
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Players Mentioned

Denise Lopez

#19 Denise Lopez

5' 3"
Freshman
Emma Pinkstaff

#3 Emma Pinkstaff

OF
5' 5"
Junior
Kadence Courtright

#5 Kadence Courtright

OF
5' 5"
Junior
Quincy Weinbender

#13 Quincy Weinbender

P/1B
5' 5"
Senior
Anna Lye

#14 Anna Lye

SS
5' 6"
Freshman
Emily Reilly

#12 Emily Reilly

1B/UT
5' 11"
Senior
Megan Reichley

#20 Megan Reichley

C/3B
5' 2"
Junior
Taylor DeShon

#22 Taylor DeShon

3B/P
5' 6"
Senior
Allison Wilson

#17 Allison Wilson

C
5' 4"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Denise Lopez

#19 Denise Lopez

5' 3"
Freshman
Emma Pinkstaff

#3 Emma Pinkstaff

5' 5"
Junior
OF
Kadence Courtright

#5 Kadence Courtright

5' 5"
Junior
OF
Quincy Weinbender

#13 Quincy Weinbender

5' 5"
Senior
P/1B
Anna Lye

#14 Anna Lye

5' 6"
Freshman
SS
Emily Reilly

#12 Emily Reilly

5' 11"
Senior
1B/UT
Megan Reichley

#20 Megan Reichley

5' 2"
Junior
C/3B
Taylor DeShon

#22 Taylor DeShon

5' 6"
Senior
3B/P
Allison Wilson

#17 Allison Wilson

5' 4"
Junior
C

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