GCU, Seattle U To Meet On Saturday For The 2023 University Credit Union WAC Softball Tournament Title
GCU, Seattle U To Meet On Saturday For The 2023 University Credit Union WAC Softball Tournament Title
PHOENIX, Ariz. – The lone remaining unbeaten, No. 2 seed Grand Canyon, and No. 4 seed Seattle U both advanced to the championship final of the 2023 University Credit Union WAC Softball Tournament on a beautiful Friday at GCU Softball Stadium. The host Lopes defeated the Redhawks 4-2, then Seattle U completed a thrilling 10-9 comeback in eight innings against No. 3 seed Stephen F. Austin to stave off elimination.
GCU and Seattle U will collide in game 12 of the tournament at 1 p.m. MST on Saturday on ESPN+. If Seattle U were to force the ‘if necessary’ 13th and final game, it would take place at approximately 4 p.m. MST.
Game 9 – No. 2 Grand Canyon 4, No. 4 Seattle U 2 | Box Score
GCU opened the day with a wild 4-2 win against Seattle U, as the Lopes turned the Redhawks aside despite the tying run reaching second base in both the sixth and seventh innings. A line drive double play to the circle in the sixth and a jammed groundout to short in the seventh provided GCU with the victory.
Kayla Rodgers and Kinsey Koeltzow both contributed three hits for GCU, with Rodgers scoring a team-high two runs. Ariel Thompson claimed the win with 5.0 innings of six-hit softball, yielding two unearned runs with a strikeout. Emily Darwin claimed a save after 1.2 scoreless innings of relief to close the contest.
Olivia Viggiano, Kayln Hill and Mekenzie Madokoro all registered two base hits for Seattle U, with Madokoro and Lily Garcia scoring runs for the Redhawks. Stefanie Madrigal threw a third straight complete game in the Seattle U circle, allowing three earned runs on 87 pitches.
Game 10 – No. 3 Stephen F. Austin 2, No. 1 Utah Tech 0 | Box Score
Stephen F. Austin battled into the final elimination game of the tournament, shutting out top seed Utah Tech 2-0. The Lumberjacks held the Trailblazers to four singles in the course of the game and only issued two free passes to Utah Tech hitters.
Mackenzie Bennett and Lexi Benson each drove in runs for SFA in the triumph, and Mallory Webb ripped three hits and scored a run. Brooke Gainous shined in a four-hit shutout, punching out six Utah Tech batters on 96 pitches.
Kate Dolinski went six solid innings in the circle for Utah Tech, yielding six hits and two earned runs while striking out three in defeat.
Game 11 – No. 4 Seattle U 10, No. 3 Stephen F. Austin 9 (8 Innings) | Box Score
In a game that saw 33 hits and four lead changes, Seattle U outlasted Stephen F. Austin 10-9 in eight innings to reach the championship final. The Lumberjacks scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning but fell behind 5-4 in the top of the second. Stephen F. Austin went back up 6-5 after two full innings but fell behind 7-6 until a three-run sixth inning gave them a 9-7 advantage. A pair of runs in the top of the seventh and the game-winning run in the top of the eighth completed the Seattle U comeback.
--WAC--