PHOENIX, Ariz. – Facing first-place Grand Canyon on the road, the SUU softball team fell in a three-game sweep over the weekend.
Here are recaps of all three games, beginning with Friday’s doubleheader.
Game 1 – Friday
Despite running out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, the T-birds would eventually drop the first game of the series on Friday afternoon at GCU, 6-3.
Amyah Boostedt highlighted the opening frame with a two-run RBI single, but the Lopes responded with a four-run bottom of the inning to make it a 4-3 score.
Southern Utah was unable to make it a closer contest the rest of the way, even with runners reaching base in four of the final six innings.
GCU would add two more runs in the sixth, sealing the opening game victory, 6-3.
Game 2 – Friday (DH)
After the SUU offense failed to score a run in the final six frames of game one, the drought continued in the second matchup of the day, with the Lopes securing a 4-0 shutout win.
The Thunderbirds were only able to muster a pair of hits and five total baserunners, while Grand Canyon tallied a run in four separate innings to secure the series victory.
Game 3 – Saturday
SUU would take an early 1-0 lead in Saturday’s series finale, courtesy of an RBI single off the bat of Tawnie Mozeris in the top of the second inning.
The slim advantage was short lived however, as the Lopes answered with six runs in the bottom of the frame to take a five-run lead.
Grand Canyon added two more runs in the third to make it an 8-1 score, but Southern Utah was able to get a trio of runs back in the top of the fourth to cut the deficit to 8-4.
Once again, any chance at momentum was quickly ruined, as the Lopes made it a 13-4 ballgame with a five-run home half of the fourth.
The deficit was too much to overcome, as SUU was held scoreless in the final frame as Grand Canyon notched the series sweep.
With the series defeat at GCU, the T-birds now sport a 9-22 record, including 4-8 in WAC play.
Up next
Southern Utah (9-22, 4-8 WAC) returns to Cedar City to battle in-state foe Utah Tech for a three-game series.
The series is slated to begin with a doubleheader on Friday, April 11, with first pitch for game one set at 1 p.m. MT.
All three games of the rivalry WAC series can be seen on ESPN+.
