Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 STEPHENVILLE, Texas – Tarleton State (16-27, 4-12 WAC) dropped the opening doubleheader Friday 9-7, 15-2 to the leader of the WAC, Grand Canyon (35-9, 14-2 WAC).
 
Game 1 came down to the wire as the Texans put up a four-spot late, but the deficit was too much to overcome as the home team fell by two.
 
Game 2 was all Lopes as they scored 15 runs on 10 hits winning 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 went scoreless before GCU jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the top of the fourth.
 
The Lopes got on the board as Ramsay Lopez hit a two-run homer to right center putting GCU up 2-0. Makaiya Gomez doubled to right field driving in Kayla Rogers making it 3-0. Lovey Kepa'a then doubled to left center scoring Gomez and Savannah Kirk moving the lead to 5-0. The sixth and final run came as 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. Kalyn Hill hit a sac fly to left field allowing Kayla Wallace to score. Wallace reached base on a double before moving to third as Brady Rowland grounded out.
 
The visitors tacked on another run in the top of the sixth making it 7-1 Lopes. 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 putting up a two-spot cutting the deficit to four. Kayla Wallace hit her fifth long ball of the season setting a new season-high while donning the Purple and White making it 7-3 Lopes.
 
Grand Canyon then responded with a two-spot of their own canceling out the ground the Texans had made up the half inning before. Rogers doubled down the right field line as Kristin Fifield and Ashley Trierweiler scored making it 9-3 GCU.
 
The final half inning, the Texans fell just shy of winning things as they put up a four-spot dropping Game 1.
 
Katy Schaefer pushed the first of four runs across as she singled to right field scoring Austin Germain who reached on a leadoff walk. Rowland then doubled down the right field line scoring a pair in Kelci Hill and Tristyn Trull making it 9-6 Lopes. The Texans final run came as Jordan Dickerson reached on a fielder's choice that allowed Schaefer to score making it 9-7, the final score of Game 1.
 
Tarleton State used a pair of transfer pitchers in Kynlee Marquez (2-6) who got the start and Alexa Rehmeier who came in to finish things out. Marquez went 3.1 innings giving up three runs on three hits, struck out one and walked two. Rehmeier went 3.2 innings giving up six runs on six hits and walked three. The pair threw a combined 140 pitches split right down the middle with each one throwing 70 each.
 
Grand Canyon used a trio of pitchers in the 9-7 win. Hailey Hudson (10-4) got the start and earned the win as she went 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 hit one batter 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 Lopes scored in every inning that they stepped up to the plate.
 
The Lopes' bats were hot early as they put up a four-spot in the first half inning of the game. Gomez doubled to center scoring Fifield and Trierweiler giving them the early 2-0 lead. Dunckel then doubled as well to center field extending the lead to 4-0 as Gomez and Haley Wolsky scored.
 
In the top of the second the Lopes continued to drive runs in moving the lead to 7-0 as they scored three runs on three hits in the second. Rogers singled down the left field line scoring GCU's fifth run of the game as Trierweiler crossed the plate to make it 5-0. The sixth and seventh runs came as Lopez doubled to center making it 7-0 and putting the game just one run away from being in run-rule territory. Lopez was the third Lope to doubled to center scoring runs for the visiting squad.
 
Tarleton State scored their lone two runs in the bottom half of the second as the scoreboard read 7-2 Lopes. Kelci Hill was the only Texan in Game 2 to drive in any runs as she doubled down the left field line scoring Kalyn Hill and Avery Songer. Kalyn Hill reached on a four-pitch walk following Songer going in to pinch 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-spot of the game. Fifield walked with the bases loaded moving it to 8-2 Lopes. Rogers then also collected a bases loaded walk as the scored moved to 9-2 favoring the visiting dugout. The 10th run of the game for the Lopes was walked in (Lopez walked, Trierwiler scored) as the Texans walked three-straight batters making it now 10-2 GCU. The 11th run came across as Gomez grounded out to first base unassisted, but Fifield came into score from third.
 
In the top of the fourth, the Lopes put up their lowest inning of the game as they pushed just one run across. Mikaela Payne doubled down the right field line scoring Kirk making it 12-2 Lopes.
 
The final three runs for GCU came in the top of the fifth as Mackenzie Nolan tripled to center field clearing the bases and moving the lead to 14-2 Lopes. The 15th and final run came as Payne singled to center scoring Nolan from third making it 15-2, the final for Game 2.
 
The Texans used a combined six pitchers over five innings highlighted by Faith Drissel making her collegiate debut. Kendall Daniel got the start in the circle but went just 0.1 IP as she gave up four runs on two hits and walked two. Senior right-handed pitcher Makenzie Dunbar went 1.0 IP and gave up three runs on four hits and walked one. Houston transfer Hannah Blincoe went 1.0 IP as well and gave up four runs on no hits and walked three. Rehmeier made her second appearance of the day, this time going just 0.2 IP giving up one run on no hits and walked three Lopes. Drissel struck out two looking as she went 1.1 innings giving up three runs on four hit and walked two. Gracie Riney rounded things out for the Texans as she went the final 0.2 IP and gave up no run on no hits as she struck out one and walked two.
 
The Lopes used a trio once again with Darwin pitching between the two bookends for GCU. Meghan 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 going 2.1 innings and gave up no runs on one hit. She also struck out four and walked one. Alina Stacher went the final 1.0 inning for the Lopes as she gave up no runs on two hits and struck out one.
 
Game three of the series is now set for 12 p.m. as it was pushed back and hour from the 11 a.m. previously scheduled first pitch. The game will air live on ESPN+ and live stats will be available. Fans can also tune in and listen live as the game will air on the radio for those to enjoy. Tickets are still available for the final game of the series.
 
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