GCU, Seattle U Lead The Way Through Two Days Of 2023 University Credit Union WAC Softball Tournament
GCU, Seattle U Lead The Way Through Two Days Of 2023 University Credit Union WAC Softball Tournament
PHOENIX, Ariz. – When the dust settled after two days of play and eight total games, No. 2 seed Grand Canyon and No. 4 Seattle U were the only remaining unbeaten teams in the field of the 2023 University Credit Union WAC Softball Tournament on Thursday at the GCU Softball Stadium.
The host Lopes blasted No. 3 Stephen F. Austin 14-3 in five innings in their tournament debut to advance in the winners’ bracket. Seattle U blanked No. 1 seed Utah Tech to roll on to a Friday at 1 p.m. MST matchup with GCU for the right to play in the championship round.
Utah Tech responded with a spirited 6-4 win to eliminate UT Arlington and play on in the bottom half of the bracket. The Trailblazers will match up with Stephen F. Austin, who rallied to beat No. 8 California Baptist 7-6 in nine innings in an elimination game.
Game 5 – No. 2 Grand Canyon 14, No. 3 Stephen F. Austin 3 (5 Innings) | Box Score
GCU made a dynamic debut in the 2023 conference tournament, scoring 14 runs on 16 hits in just four innings at the plate. The Lopes tallied four runs in the first, five runs in the third and five runs in the bottom of the fourth to put away SFA in five innings.
Kristin Fifield and Katelyn Dunckel each finished with four RBI in the win for GCU, and Ramsay Lopez had three hits and three RBI for the Lopes. Hannah Burnett and Fifield each scored three runs in the triumph. Meghan Golden scattered two hits in three full innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out three for the pitching win. Hailey Hudson surrendered one run in the final two innings to close the game.
Camryn Middlebrooks reached base three times for SFA, going 2-for-2 with an RBI and pair of runs. Gaby Garcia and Sydney Carithers added RBI for the Lumberjacks.
Game 6 – No. 4 Seattle U 3, No. 1 Utah Tech 0 | Box Score
Seattle U welcomed Utah Tech to WAC tournament play with an impressive performance to remain in the winners’ bracket. The Redhawks scrapped out two runs in the top of the second and a single run in the top of the third and rode a five-hit performance in the circle for the victory.
Mekenzie Madokoro drove in two runs for Seattle U, while Taj Wilson’s two hits paced the Redhawks. Stefanie Madrigal continued her outstanding week with another complete game, yielding five hits on just 69 pitches to hold Utah Tech at bay.
Kate Dolinski took the hard-luck loss in the circle for Utah Tech, yielding two earned runs on five hits with no walks and two strikeouts. Five different Trailblazer hitters picked up a base hit in the ballgame.
Game 7 – No. 3 Stephen F. Austin 7, No. 8 California Baptist 6 (9 Innings) | Box Score
CBU flew out of the gates with three runs in the bottom of the first and carried a 3-1 lead into the top of the seventh. With SFA facing its final strike on two occasions, Gaby Garcia and Mackenzie Bennett hit back-to-back two-out solo home runs to send the game to extra at 3-3. The teams traded a run aside in the eighth before SFA pushed three across in the top of the ninth inning (7-4) and left the winning CBU run aboard in the home half of the ninth.
Mallory Webb and Garcia each clubbed three hits for SFA, with Garcia and Bennett driving in two runs apiece. Brooke Gainous went the distance with a gutsy nine-inning complete game that featured 120 pitches.
Natalie Elias and Valerie Alvarez went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate for CBU, and Kayla Lyon pitched in a team-high three RBI.
Game 8 – No. 1 Utah Tech 6, No. 7 UT Arlington 4 | Box Score
Top seed Utah Tech battled back with a 6-4 win to eliminate No. 7 UT Arlington to close Thursday play. The Trailblazers tallied 12 hits and retired the winning Maverick run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Four different Utah Tech players logged two hits in the victory, with Rachel Campbell driving in two runs on a deep home run to left center. Sauren Garton threw an impressive 157 pitches and struck out three UTA batters in a complete game.
Reagan Hukill and Meagan Smith each tallied three base hits in defeat for UTA. Jessica Adams threw 112 pitches and punched out five Utah Tech batters in the contest.
--WAC--