RIVERSIDE, CA – No. 1 Grand Canyon and No. 2 Tarleton State won their first games of the tournament on Thursday to advance in the winner’s bracket as the final two remaining unbeaten teams in the 2025 University Credit Union WAC Softball Tournament. No. 4 Seattle U and No. 8 Utah Valley also kept their seasons alive with wins in the loser’s bracket.

No. 2 Tarleton State shutout No. 6 California Baptist 5-0 and No. 1 Grand Canyon defeated No. 4 Seattle U 5-3. No. 8 Utah Valley knocked out the host No. 6 California Baptist with a big 9-7 victory and No. 4 Seattle U completed the seventh inning comeback against No. 3 Southern Utah in a 5-4 walk-off win.

The top two seeds will battle for a spot in the championship game on Friday at 1 p.m. PT with the Redhawks and Wolverines fighting for a chance to continue in the tournament at 4 p.m. PT. The loser of game nine and the winner of game ten will square off for the final championship spot at 7 p.m. PT.

Game 5 – No. 2 Tarleton State 5, No. 6 California Baptist 0 | Box Score

Hannah Blincoe pitched her fourth complete seven-inning shutout of the year and her second consecutive complete game shutout in as many games, both coming against the Lancers. Blincoe struck out nine batters and limited California Baptist to just four hits and two walks. Blincoe has now allowed only two earned runs in her last 20.2 innings in the pitching circle.

Tarleton State’s offensive in the game comprised of Hayden Fox, Tristyn Trull, Kalyn Hill, and Jaelynn Duke as the quartet combined for eight of the team’s nine hits, four RBI and all five runs scored. Trull hit her ninth home run of the season in the bottom of the sixth inning and now has back-to-back games with a homer.

This win marked Tarleton State’s first ever WAC softball tournament win in program history.

Game 6 – No. 1 Grand Canyon 5, No. 4 Seattle U 3 | Box Score

Grand Canyon extended the nation’s longest active winning streak to 21 games with a 5-3 comeback win over Seattle U. The Redhawks came out swinging and scored three runs in the top of the first inning but were held scoreless the rest of the game as Oakley Vickers threw six shutout frames out of the bullpen with five strikeouts for her sixth win of the year. Vickers’ six innings were her
longest outing of the year, and her five strikeouts were her second most in a game this season.

The Lopes got the offense rolling in the bottom of the fourth when Emily Gonzalez knocked in two runs with a double to right center. Tinley Lucas gave GCU the lead with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning. A few batters later, Savannah Kirk added an insurance run with a single through the right side for her third hit on the day.

Sophia Kissling had a third of the Redhawks’ total hits in the game, in part of a 2-for-3 performance.

Game 7 – No. 8 Utah Valley 9, No. 6 California Baptist 7 | Box Score

The first elimination game of the double elimination rounds saw neither team wanting to give in as five lead changes occurred between the Wolverines and the Lancers. Utah Valley ended up on the winning side of the final lead change as Angelique Mann recorded the game winning two-run triple to right center in the bottom of the sixth to put the Wolverines ahead late in the game.
 
Utah Valley tallied 12 hits in the game including five extra-base hits highlighted by a Payge Armendariz solo home run in the second inning. Mya Higareda led the Wolverines with three hits while Britney Moreno and Amber Rodriguez also notched two hits each. Mann, Armendariz and Kendyl Purdy all drove in two runs each against the Lancers.
 
Kalena Burns gave everything she had for California Baptist as the graduate student went 2-for-3 with a home run, a double, three RBI and a run scored. Burns hit her third two-run double of the week in the sixth inning to help CBU retake the lead 7-6 at the time. Burns concluded the tournament with seven runs batted in. Ashlee Annett matched her teammate with a 2-for-3 day knocking in two runs and crossing the plate once.
 
Game 8 – No. 4 Seattle U 5, No. 3 Southern Utah 4 | Box Score

The dramatics continued into the final inning of the day as Avari Morris walked off the Redhawks into the tournament semifinals with a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the seventh. Seattle U trailed 4-2 entering its final at-bats and the Redhawks refused to give up as they stringed together five straight baserunners to begin the inning and tie the game at four a piece. A couple of batters later, Morris called ballgame with a single to right field, sending the Redhawks to day three of the tournament.
 
Seattle U drew first blood in the game as Mikee Morris gave the Redhawks an early lead with a solo leadoff home run to left center. Taylor Fitch went 3-for-4 in the contest including a single that drove in the first run in the seventh inning for Seattle U.
 
Southern Utah tied the game in the top of the fifth inning with a single up the middle from Laurie Cooke and took the lead in the seventh inning on a Michaella Salvatierra single down the left field line.