PHOENIX — Mikaela Thomson homered twice including the game-winning grand slam in the top of the seventh as Utah Valley knocked off first-place Grand Canyon, 12-8, on Saturday at GCU Softball Stadium. The lead changed hands five times over the final four innings, with a five-run seventh inning helping end an eight-game winning streak by the Lopes (27-10, 10-2) as well as 10 straight wins in WAC play.
Thomson, who now has nine home runs and 34 RBIs on the season, drove in five overall and scored three times while
Linnah Rebolledo also hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning and
Kyla Hardy had a three-hit game.
In the seventh, with the Wolverines (13-17, 4-8) trailing 8-7,
Jaeden Barajas and
Laynee Betancur both singled and, with two outs, Rebolledo drew a walk to load the bases.
Kalena Shepherd then walked on four straight pitches to force in a run and tie the game. Thomson's grand slam — her second of the season — came on the next pitch.
Down 1-0 in the third, Thomson tied it with her eighth home run of the season and Betancur gave the Wolverines the lead with a two-out single that scored
Megan Gibbs.
Utah Valley extended the lead in the fifth, taking advantage of a GCU error to lead off the inning. Gibbs had an RBI single that scored pinch-runner
Peyton Prigge to give UVU a 3-1 lead. Thomson later scored on a wild pitch before Hardy delivered a two-out RBI base hit on an 0-2 pitch that brought home Gibbs and gave the Wolverines a 5-1 lead.
After Thomson made a diving play to open the inning to take away a hit from Kristin Fifield, Grand Canyon rallied to score five times to take the lead back. Macee Barnes had the big hit, a two-out grand slam that was just fair down the line in left to give GCU a 6-5 lead.
In the sixth,
Madison Carr reached on an infield single before Rebolledo — who hit a grand slam on Friday — hit the first pitch of the at-bat over the wall in center to put UVU back in front, 7-6. The home run was her fourth of the season.
Grand Canyon got another big two-out RBI hit in the bottom of the sixth. With runners at second and third and two down, Stephanie Reed singled to center to score the game-tying and go-ahead runs and the Lopes entered the seventh up 8-7.
Next week, Utah Valley is set to play a doubleheader at Utah on Tuesday beginning at 3 p.m. MT. The Wolverines will also host California Baptist next Friday and Saturday in WAC play.
