PHOENIX, Arizona – Utah Valley University opened WAC play at Grand Canyon University, dropping both ends of a doubleheader, 2-0 and 8-0, on Friday night in the desert.
 
The Lopes (20-13, 2-0) got a pair of solid pitching performances in earning the two shutout wins. In the second game, Grand Canyon put up five runs in the second inning en route to ending the contest in five innings via run-rule.
 
A pair of manufactured runs were the difference in the opener. A bases-loaded walk in the second and a sacrifice fly in the fifth were all the Lopes needed.
 
Ryan Denhart struck out six in the two-hit shutout for Grand Canyon while Devyn Cretz went the distance for Utah Valley (7-14, 0-2), striking out four while surrendering the two runs on six hits.
 
In the second game, Skylar Cook had a pair of hits out of the lead-off spot for the Wolverines while Lyndsay Steverson and Madison Sisco both doubled.
 
Savannah Tourville and Taylor Olsen both went 3-for-3 with Olsen finishing with a pair of doubles. Shea Smith homered and drove in two runs for GCU.
 
In the circle, Yesenia Morrison started and threw two scoreless innings before Brianna Aguilar tossed the final three innings for Grand Canyon and was credited with the win.
 
The series concludes on Saturday at 5 p.m. MT.