(St. George, Utah - March 29, 2024) - The Trailblazers dropped both contests of a doubleheader to Grand Canyon on Friday falling 9-1 in six innings in game one followed by 11-5 in game two.
Utah Tech (11-20, 4-4 WAC) tallied three hits in the first contest with a double from
Madisen Duryea followed by a nine-hit outing in game two.
The Trailblazers got three two-hit performances from
LB Kahahawai-Kekona,
Carly Eldredge and
Sadie Gardner as Gardner and
Rachel Campbell each recorded home runs.
On the pitching side, WAC Pitcher of the Week
Attlyn Johnston started game one tossing five innings before
Tyler Denhart threw the final inning to close out the game.
The second game saw a trio of
Danyelle Leone,
Sauren Garton and Denhart throw with Leone suffering her first loss of the season.
Game One Recap
The Lopes got the scoring started in the first game with a run in the top of the first with on an RBI single.
The Trailblazers responded with a run in the bottom of the second on an RBI double by Duryea that sailed down the left field line and brought home
Oaklee Trapp from first base.
A sacrifice fly by GCU in the third put the Lopes ahead 2-1 before a seven-run barrage by GCU, that included a grand slam, in the sixth extended their lead to 9-1.
A single by Eldredge in the bottom of the frame kept hope alive momentarily, but the next two Blazers were retired to end the game after six.
Game Two Recap
The Blazers got the scoring started in game two with a pair of runs on a two-run RBI double by Duryea.
The Lopes answered back with a seven-run second inning, allowing another grand slam in the process, to fall behind 7-2.
GCU added a pair of runs in the third after a UT error and sacrifice fly before the Blazers responded with a two-run homer to left center by Campbell to cut the Lopes' lead to 9-4.
Two more runs came across for the Lopes in the sixth before the scoring closed in the bottom of the frame with a leadoff inside-the-park home run by Gardner as the speedster raced around the bases after her fly ball got away from GCU in left field.
Up next
The Trailblazers and Lopes close out the series on Saturday at 11 a.m. for Military Appreciation Day.
