California Baptist University
Grand Canyon University
No Luck Late
3/29/2013 11:16:00 PM | Softball
PHOENIX, Ariz. --- California Baptist University split a crucial doubleheader with No. 18 Grand Canyon Friday, falling just short in extra innings in the late game.
With both games coming down to the wire, CBU took the early game 5-4 before falling 2-1 in eight innings in the late game.
A three-run bomb by Marshean August in the top of the fifth broke open a 2-2 tie in the opener and ended up being the difference in the ballgame.
August came up with two outs and two runners on in the fifth, driving the pitch from GCU starter Stephanie Pesqueira over the left field wall.
The Lopes answered with a two-run shot from Kelsey Barak in the bottom of the fifth, but wouldn't score again as CBU's Jessica Avila finished off the complete game win. Avila gave up just one hit over the final two innings.
April Vasquez and Danae Leiser drove in the other two runs for the Lancers in the opener. Leiser was 2 for 3 at the plate in the contest, driving in a run and scoring another.
A tense afternoon only got more nerve wracking as the two teams took a 1-1 ballgame into the sixth.
CBU would load the bases with one out in the top of the sixth, but couldn't push across a run as Kiki Sepulveda got the 5-2-3 double play she needed to end the threat.
GCU responded with the same scenario, loading the bases with just one away in the bottom half of the inning. This time it was Avila's turn to work her way out of a jam, entering the game to get a lineout and then a groundout to second to keep the score even.
Not done with the drama, Avila had to again work her way out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh, striking out Pesqueira to send the game to extra innings.
A third bases loaded escape was not to be for Avila as the Lopes' Claire Zampini drove a run in with the bases full in the bottom of the eighth to end the game and score a split for GCU.
Mara Rodriguez drove in the lone run of the game for CBU as the Lancers were held to just four hits by the Lopes' pitching.
Avila took both a win and loss on the day to move to 13-8.
The split moves CBU to 19-14 overall, 11-11 PacWest and GCU to 25-10, 13-5. The two teams will be back at it Saturday at 12 p.m. with another doubleheader.
