Softball Closes Out Series Against Lopes in Saturday Matinee

Saturday, April 24

Riverside, Calif.

12 PM

California Baptist University

17-25, 6-6

Grand Canyon

19-26-1, 7-8

Grand Canyon

California Baptist

Softball Closes Out Series Against Lopes in Saturday Matinee

4/24/2021 2:29:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Daniel Cook, Assistant Director of Athletics Communications

RIVERSIDE – California Baptist was looking to complete its first conference sweep of the season but GCU had other plans as the Lancers fell to the Lopes 4-0 in the series finale. The loss moves CBU to 19-26-1 on the year and 7-8 in WAC play while GCU now sits at 17-25 in 2021 and 6-6 in league action.

The Lopes would score in the top of the first for the third game in-a-row, this time plating a pair on a single and a groundout. That 2-0 lead would last until the top of the sixth inning when GCU would increase it to 4-0 off a two-run home run to right center field.

CBU managed just five hits spread over the seven inning game, threatening most dangerously in the bottom of the fifth when Abby Robertson hit a two-out double that pushed Ashley McBay over to third. The next Lancer batter would not be able to capitalize on the runners in scoring position, adding two to the Lancers eight runners left on-base.

✌️ Abby Robertson smokes a double into the left field corner, Lancers are threatening with runners at second and third!#LanceUp⚔️ pic.twitter.com/87Q5LhyWFA
— California Baptist Softball (@CBUSoftball) April 24, 2021

McBay led the way offensively for the Lancers in the series, hitting .500 (6-12) including her second triple of the season. Katelyn Mangrello swung at a .375 (3-8) clip and Tiana Patrick led the way scoring-wise with two runs scored and another pair brought in.

Viramontes earned both victories for the Lancers on Friday to reach 14 wins, which is the top mark in the WAC. She also finished the series with a 2.87 earned run average in 15.2 innings of work, dropping her season ERA to 3.36 while increasing her WAC-leading strikeout total to 127.

WHAT'S NEXT

CBU will fill it's conference bye-week with a three-game series against the Nevada Wolf Pack from the Mountain West Conference. Nevada will be the third MWC team the Lancers have faced this season having previously tussled with UNLV and San Diego State. The Wolf Pack will enter this weekend's series with a 17-11 overall record and an 11-4 in league, having won all five of their conference series so far. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Friday at Funk Stadium.