History made. The Grand Canyon softball team became GCU’s first Divsion I-era team to beat a team with a No. 1 national ranking Wednesday night when it beat defending national champion Florida State 5-3 at GCU Softball Stadium.

The Lopes (12-8) hosted undefeated Florida State (22-1), marking the second consecutive season that GCU has hosted the reigning national champs at GCU Softball Stadium, and topped the Seminoles in the first game of a doubleheader.

“What a great night for the program,” GCU head coach Ann Pierson said. “I am so proud of the kids. To just come out with this crazy focused energy. To just compete.

“What a great celebration for them and for the program and the university,” Pierson said.

FSU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of Game 1, using back-to-back solo home runs from first baseman Carsyn Gordon and third baseman Sydney Sherrill.

The Seminoles tacked on another run in the third inning, but a highlight-reel catch from shortstop Shea Smith set the senior up to double up a runner at second and end the frame. A line drive up the middle from Elizabeth Mason required Smith’s diving effort but the double play was aided by the movement on contact from Gordon at second, allowing Smith to get up and walk to second base to record the second out and limit the damage to one run in the frame.

GCU kept the momentum from the diving play into the bottom half of the third, when Lopes sophomore catcher Kaileigh Holland cut the Florida State lead to two runs with a leadoff home run.

Florida State had a threat in the fifth inning with runners on the corners, but GCU’s 2-4-5 rundown ended the inning between third base and home plate.

The Lopes tied the game at 3-3 in the fifth inning. Back-to-back doubles from senior third baseman Sierra Smith and freshman second baseman Savannah Tourville cut the FSU lead, 3-2.

An infield single from senior left fielder Maddie Dowdle put runners on the corners with just one out for pinch hitter Jordon Keeton, who slapped a single through the right side to score pinch runner Taylor Tetone from third and move Dowdle over with Keeton advancing to second. The Lopes stranded two in scoring position to end the inning after a line drive to left from designated hitter Lilly Bishop.

Tourville gave the Lopes their first lead of the game in the sixth inning, doubling to left field to score pinch runner Christine Bellavia from third. It marked only the third time Florida State even had trailed in a game this season.

Holland was hit by a pitch by reliever Cassidy Davis, putting runners on first and second. Dowdle then sent a high chopper over the head of Sherill at third base to score Tourville from second and move Holland to third.

GCU’s starting right-hander Yessie Morrison (4-2) put on a masterpiece performance after the rocky first inning, only allowing four hits over her final six innings. Florida State was hitting a NCAA-leading .384 entering Wednesday. The sophomore picked up a complete-game win, allowing three runs on seven hits and one walk.

The Lopes got to Florida State ace Meghan King, whose earned run average of 0.72 ranked 14th in the nation before the loss to GCU. The Lopes scored all five runs against King on seven hits in her 5 2/3 innings of work.

GCU and FSU squared off in a second game to close out the doubleheader, as the Seminoles took the split with an 11-1 win. Shea Smith tallied one of two hits for the Lopes with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth, while Olsen singled down the right field line.

The Lopes head to Norman, Oklahoma for four games against Drake, Tulsa, Northwestern and Oklahoma starting on Friday at OU Softball Complex.