PHOENIX - Reina Zermeno hits two home runs on the day to lead the San José State softball team (10-19, 2-4 MW) in the series finale and 10-4 loss to No. 22 Grand Canyon (33-1, 6-0 MW) on Sunday afternoon from GCU Softball Stadium.
Zermeno opened the game early with two outs and on a 2-2 count with an opposite-field blast over the right field fence to take the early lead, 1-0.
The Lopes responded with a three-run bottom of the first off a homerun to then take the lead 3-1.
With Gabriella Sotelo on first, Taylor Chillingworth up to bat on a 1-0 count, ripped a ball over the left field fence to tie the game 3-3 in the top of the second.
Zermeno then provided the Spartans with a security run with another homerun in the top of the third on a 1-0 count to center field, putting the Spartans up 4-3.
Delaney Faus started in the circle for the Spartans and after the three-run homerun, managed to hold GCU to three scoreless innings.
The Lopes then put up one run in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game 4-4. Then, GCU put up six runs in the sixth inning to retake the lead and secure the win and series.
- On top of Zermeno's two home runs, she was also perfect at the plate, going 3-for-3
- Zermeno hit two home runs in a single game earlier this season in the 10-1 victory over Pacific
- Zermeno now leads the team in RBI with 17
- Chillingworth hit her first homerun of the season
- Isabella Sandoval was hit by her sixth HBP, extending her on-base streak to seven
- The last time the Spartans hit three home runs in a single game was on May 3, 2024, in a 7-6 victory over Utah State. Former centerfielder and now graduate assistant Aubrie Thomas hit two home runs and Zermeno hit one
UP NEXT: The Spartans will continue to play on the road by next traveling to Reno. Nev., to face Nevada in a three-game series from Friday, March 27, to Sunday, March 29. The series can be watched on Mountain West Network.
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