Box Result 1 | Box Score 2 STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Tarleton State (16-27, 4-12 WAC) dropped Friday’s opener 9-7, 15-2 to WAC leader Grand Canyon (35-9, 14-2 WAC).
Game 1 came down to the wire as the Texans fell behind by four, but the deficit was too much to overcome as the home team fell by two.
Game 2 was all Lopez as they scored 15 runs on 10 hits to win their 35th game of their 2024 campaign.
Tarleton State 7 Grand Canyon 9
The first three innings in Stephenville between the two teams since 2021 were scoreless before GCU took a 6-0 lead in the top of the fourth.
Lopez got on the board when Ramsey Lopez hit a two-run homer to right-center, putting GCU up 2-0. Makaiya Gomez doubled to right field against Kayla Rogers to make it 3-0. Lovey Kepa’a then doubled to left-center, scoring Gomez and Savannah Kirk, extending the lead to 5-0. The sixth and final run came when Katelyn Dunckel grounded out to second base as Tinley Lucas scored, making it 6-0 Lopes.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Texans responded with a run of their own, making it 6-1. Kalin Hulme hit a sac fly to left field that allowed Kayla Wallace to note. Wallace reached base on a double before moving to third Brady Rowland grounded.
The visitors plated another run in the top of the sixth, making it 7-1 for Lopez. Kepa’a grounded out to second base as Gomez scored from third.
In the bottom half of the sixth, Tarleton State cut into GCU’s lead, plating two runs to cut the deficit to four. Kayla Wallace hit his fifth long ball of the season, setting a season high while donning the purple and white, making it 7-3 Lopes.
Grand Canyon then answered with two runs of their own, undoing the pitch the Texans had made before the half inning. Rogers doubled down the right field line as Christine Fifield and Ashley Trierweiler scored to make it 9-3 GCU.
Last half inning, the Texans couldn’t get things going as they scored four runs dropping Game 1.
Katie Shafer drove in the first of four runs as she singled to right field Austin Germain who reached on a lead walk. Rowland then doubled down the right field line, scoring a pair Kelchi Hill and Tristin Trull making it 9-6 Lopes. The Texans’ final run came as Jordan Dickerson reached on a fielder’s choice that allowed Shafer to score, making it 9-7, the final Game 1 score.
Tarleton State uses a pair of transfer pitchers Kinley Marquez (2-6), who took the start and Alexa Remeyer who came in to finish things off. Marquez went 3.1 innings, giving up three runs on three hits, striking out one and walking two. Rehmeier went 3.2 innings, giving up six runs on six hits and walking three. The pair threw a total of 140 strikes, split right down the middle, each throwing 70.
Grand Canyon used three pitchers in the 9-7 win. Haley Hudson (10-4) got the start and got the win after going 5.1 innings. She gave up three runs on six hits, struck out three and walked two before being pulled for Emily Darwin. Darwin went just 0.2 IP as she gave up one run on no hits, struck out one and walked two. Hudson and Darwin each had one hit during their time in the circle. Megan Schumacher closed things out for the Lopes going 1.0 IP, giving up three runs (one earned) on four hits.
Tarleton State 2 Grand Canyon 15
Game 2 was all Grand Canyon as the Lopezes scored in every inning they pitched.
Lopez’s bats were hot early as they put up four runs in the first half of the game. Gomez doubled to center field, scoring Fifield and Trierweiler to give them an early 2-0 lead. Dunkel then also doubled to center field, extending the lead to 4-0 as Gomez and Haley Wolski scored.
In the top of the second, the Lopes continued to drive in runs, extending the lead to 7-0, scoring three runs on three hits in the second. Rogers singled down the left field line for GCU’s fifth hit of the game as Trierweiler crossed the scoreboard to make it 5-0. The sixth and seventh runs came when Lopez doubled to center, making it 7-0 and putting the game just one run out of run-rule territory. López was the third Lope to double the cross as he scored for the away team.
Tarleton State scored its only two runs in the bottom half of the second as the scoreboard read 7-2 Lopez. Kelchi Hill was the only Texan in Game 2 to drive in runs as she doubled down the left field line Kalin Hulme and Avery Songer. Kalin Hulme reached on a four-pitch walk after Songer came in to run for Rowland, who also reached on a walk.
The top of the third was a rinse and repeat for the WAC leaders as Grand Canyon put up their second four of the game. Fifield walked with the bases loaded, moving it to 8-2 Lopes. Rodgers then also collected a bases-loaded walk, moving the score to 9-2 in favor of the visiting duo. Lopez’s 10th run of the game was scored (Lopez scored, Trierwiler scored) as the Texans scored three straight to make it 10-2 GCU. The 11th run came when Gomez grounded out to first base unassisted, but Fifield scored from third.
In the top of the fourth, the Lopes pitched their lowest inning of the game, yielding just one run. Mikaela Payne doubled down the right field line, scoring Kirk and making it 12-2 Lopez.
The final three runs for GCU came in the top of the fifth when Mackenzie Nolan tripled to center field, clearing the bases and moving the lead to 14-2 Lopes. The 15th and final run came when Payne singled to center, scoring Nolan from third to make it 15-2, the Game 2 final.
The Texans used a combined six pitchers for five innings, highlighted by Faith Dressel making his collegiate debut. Kendall Daniel got a start in the circle but went just 0.1 IP as she gave up four runs on two hits and walked two. Right-handed senior pitcher Mackenzie Dunbar went 1.0 IP and gave up three runs on four hits and walked one. Houston transfer Hannah Blinko also went 1.0 IP and gave up four runs on no hits and walked three. Rehmeier made his second appearance of the day, this time going just 0.2 IP, giving up one run on no hits and walking three Lopes. Drissel struck out two in what appeared to be 1.1 innings, giving up three runs on four hits and walking two. Gracie Rini rounded things out for the Texans as she went the final 0.2 IP and didn’t give up any hits as she struck out one and walked two.
The Lopes again used a trio, with Darwin sandwiched between the two bookends for GCU. Megan Golden earned the start in the circle and went just 1.2 IP before being pulled for Darwin. Golden gave up two runs on one hit, struck out one and walked three. Darwin went the longest for the visitors with 2.1 innings and didn’t give up a hit. She also struck out four and walked one. Alina Stacher pitched the final 1.0 innings for the Lopes as she didn’t give up two hits and struck out one.
Game three of the series is now scheduled for 12pm as it was moved 1 hour from the previously scheduled 11am first game. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and live stats will be available. Fans can also tune in and listen live as the game will be broadcast on the radio for their entertainment. Tickets are still available for the final game of the series.
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