PHOENIX — Utah Valley fell at first-place Grand Canyon in both ends of a doubleheader, 13-4 and 10-1, on Friday at GCU Softball Stadium.
Linnah Rebolledo hit a grand slam in the first game for the Wolverines (12-17, 3-8) and
Mikaela Thomson homered in the second game to account for all of UVU's runs during the twin bill. The Lopes (27-9, 10-1) ended both games early with walk-off home runs that put the run rule into effect.
Game One
Grand Canyon put seven runs on the board in the second inning behind seven hits, including three that went for extra bases. Kristin Fifield had two doubles in the inning while Kinsey Koeltzow had an RBI triple.
Rebolledo's grand slam came in the top of the third and put a quick dent in UVU's deficit.
Laynee Betancur and
Rylee Thorpe led off the inning with infield singles before
Madison Carr later added an infield hit to load the bases with one out. The home run by Rebolledo came on the first pitch of the at-bat and was a no-doubter to left and made it a 7-4 ballgame.
GCU responded with a run each in the bottom of the third and again in the fourth, the latter coming on a solo home run from Denae Chatman. The Lopes then ended the game in the fifth with four more runs including a two-run home run from Fifield to end it.
Game Two
A pair of wild pitches in the opening inning allowed Grand Canyon to score in the bottom of the first inning. The score remained 2-0 until Kinsey Koeltzow hit a two-run home run in the fourth to double the GCU lead.
The Wolverines had chances to score against GCU starter Jacie Hambrick, who only allowed two hits but surrendered six walks, but she escaped her 4.1 innings of work unscathed with five strikeouts while stranding eight UVU baserunners.
Thomson's home run led off the sixth and was her seventh home run of the season. Grand Canyon wouldn't allow the Wolverines another at-bat after the sixth, scoring six times in the bottom of the inning with Katelyn Dunckel hitting a grand slam that snuck just inside the foul pole in left to end the game.
Jaeden Barajas had two of Utah Valley's three hits in the contest. The series wraps up on Saturday with a 1 p.m. MST/2 p.m. MDT first pitch.
