FRESNO, Calif. \u2014 Grand Canyon made the most of its one-day trip to Fresno State, sweeping a Wednesday conference doubleheader with 4-1 and 6-0 wins.<\/p>\n
No. 25 GCU (39-4, 12-2 Mountain West) allowed just one run over 14 innings, getting shutdown relief performances in both games to keep its two-game lead atop the Mountain West. The Lopes became the only team other than No. 8 UCLA and No. 19 Washington to shut out Fresno State this season. \n<\/p>\n
Game 1: GCU 4, Fresno State 1 Pond collected three hits on the day and started both games of the doubleheader at third base, pushing junior Mackenzie Nolan<\/a> to shortstop. Pond’s fourth home run of the season was her first since Feb. 28, just narrowly landing inside the left-field foul pole.<\/p>\n Senior right-hander Taryn Batterton<\/a> started in the circle for the Lopes, going an inning and 2\/3 before being pulled with the bases loaded, two outs and a 1-1 count.<\/p>\n Freshman right-hander Abi Jones<\/a>, a reliable reliever all season, entered and tossed three straight balls to walk in Fresno State’s only run of the day. But Jones then got the last out on the next batter and pitched four consecutive scoreless innings.<\/p>\n Grand Canyon struck once more offensively in the sixth, when senior designated player Emily Gonzalez<\/a> crushed a solo shot to left field. Gonzalez’s seventh homer of the season and her 20th in two GCU seasons gave the Lopes a 4-1 lead.<\/p>\n Sophomore left-hander Oakley Vickers<\/a> started her big day in the circle, when she entered the game for a perfect\u00a0seventh inning to earn\u00a0her fourth save of the season.
\n<\/p>\n Game 2: GCU 6, Fresno State 0 GCU’s bats arrived early and often, scoring in three of the first four innings. Sophomore first baseman Jada Cooper<\/a> collected three RBIs\u00a0in the second half of the doubleheader, putting her season total at a team-high 41. The first RBI came when she\u00a0drove in freshman second baseman\u00a0Raegan Holtorf<\/a> after her bunt single and advancement on a wild pitch for a 1-0 lead in the first inning.<\/p>\n Cooper walked in the third inning and singled again in the fourth to drive in another two runs. Her 3-for-6 day put her batting average at a team-best .380.<\/p>\n The Lopes added a run in the third inning when senior center fielder Sydney McCray’s<\/a> led off with a single and stole second as she raised her stolen base total to 27, the most in the nation without being caught. GCU loaded the bases on a walk and hit by pitch before Gonzalez put the GCU lead at 2-0 with a sacrifice fly.<\/p>\n
\nThe Lopes jumped out to an immediate lead with runs in the first two innings of Game 1 at Margie Wright Diamond. Graduate outfielder Trinity Martin<\/a> hit a two-out RBI single in the top of the first\u00a0before sophomore third baseman Ellie Pond<\/a> drilled a two-run bomb down the left-field line in the second.<\/p>\n
\nVickers grabbed her 11th win of the season in Game 2 when she added three more shutout relief innings with four strikeouts, dropping her season ERA to 1.55.<\/p>\n