ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos fell 4-1 to Grand Canyon on Saturday with the Lopes scoring two runs in both the fourth and fifth inning and the Lobos scoring in the bottom of the fifth.
DeNae Vasquez-Dickson led the Lobos with an RBI behind two hits, driving in the run on a single to center, while Gabrielle Briones went 2-2 at the plate behind two singles.
Both starting pitchers were effective early on with Caitlin Benningfield striking out the first two Lope batters before recording the third out on a grounder back to the circle. Benningfield added two more strikeouts in the second and like the first inning, the inning ended on a ball back to the circle, with the Lobos working around a one-out double.
Jessica DeLeon led off the home half of the second for UNM’s first hit with a sac bunt moving pinch runner Grace Rana over to second for the first out. However, a strikeout and fly ball to center ended the chance with the Lobos matching the Lopes in leaving a runner in scoring position in the second.
GCU had its leadoff batter reach on a single to start the third inning with the Lope reaching third on two infield groundouts, with a grounder to Briones at short providing the final out to keep GCU off of the board.
A leadoff home run in the top of the fourth broke the tie with GCU adding a second run on a sacrifice fly to center. Benningfield recorded her fifth strikeout of the game to end the inning with GCU leaving a runner on second.
The Lobos had the tying run reach in the bottom of the fourth after Vasquez-Dickson led off with a single to left and Briones put runners on the corners with a two-out hit to right, but a strikeout left them stranded.
GCU added two more runs in the fifth with the Lobos getting on the board in the bottom of the inning, which started with Estrella Rowe drawing a leadoff walk following a full count. Benningfield followed suit with a one-out walk following a full count, and with Allie Williams moving both Benningfield and runner Hayden Luderer over into scoring position, Vasquez-Dickson delivered with a single to center that allowed Luderer to score from third with Benningfield thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
Benningfield and the Lobo defense retired the side in order in the sixth with Briones reaching on a two-out single to center before the inning came to end. Benningfield retired the first two Lopes in the seventh before a walk and single to right field led to the Lobos to go to the bullpen for Marina Tinari, who got the Lobos out of the inning on a swinging strikeout.
The Lobos were unable to put a runner on in their final at-bats for the final score.
UNM closes its series with GCU at 10 a.m. on Sunday with the start time moved up due to high winds expected in the area.