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Softball
6 p.m.
vs Pima CC
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Saturday, February 4
Phoenix, AZ
10 a.m.
Grand Canyon
4
vs
7
CSU East Bay
Frosh right fielder Kayla Henry makes a diving catch during Saturday's 8-0 win against Western New Mexico.
Freshman Raica Throws Two-Hit Shutout in GCU Opening Day Split
2/4/2012 6:48:00 PM | Softball
Grand Canyon earned a split in its season-opening GCU Kickoff Classic at Stapleton-Pierson Field Saturday.
The Antelopes lost the opener to CSU East Bay, 7-4, then came back and earned an 8-0 victory against Western New Mexico.
In the win, freshman pitcher Kiley Raica threw a two-hit shutout, fanning five. She had plenty support from her teammates, who got the game started with a four-run first inning. Junior catcher Lisa Tarnowski hit a three-run home run, her first as a ’Lope. It was followed by consecutive singles from Vanessa Chavez, Lauren Regester, Kara Holtorf and Haley Walker.
GCU added two more in the fourth and one each in the fifth and seventh. Sophomore second baseman Claire Zampini, GCU’s lone preseason All-PacWest choice and the reigning league freshman of the year, had RBI singles in the fourth and seventh.
Zampini, Regester and Walker – both freshmen – had two-hit games against the Mustangs.
Raica didn’t give up a hit until a lead-off fourth-inning single by Ashley Eichenberger. WNMU didn’t get a runner to third base until the sixth, but it came with two outs. It was the only inning Raica dealt with two runners on base, but she quickly got out of any potential trouble when Kale Gahn grounded out to shortstop Kelsey Barak to end the inning.
In the opener, Barak, another member of GCU’s talented freshman class, went 3-for-3 including a solo home run in the fifth to cut the Pioneers’ lead to 6-4.
With a three-run third inning, Grand Canyon took a 3-2 lead. Holtorf started the inning with a single. She scored when frosh leadoff hitter Kayla Henry tripled. Henry scored on an illegal pitches and consecutive walks to Stephanie Smith, Zampini, Barak and Regester plated another run.
In the seventh, Grand Canyon loaded the bases. Zampini drew a one-out walk. Barak singled and Tarnowski walked, but East Bay reliever Kelly Lowe got out of trouble to earn her second save of the season.
“I saw a lot of really good things today,” said GCU coach Ann Pierson. “We were solid defensively the entire day and had a lot of kids do a lot of good things.
“Kiley threw a tremendous game in game 2 and had good command of the zone.”
The three teams go at it again Sunday. GCU takes on Western New Mexico at 10 a.m. and CSU East Bay at 3 p.m. Western and East Bay play each other at 12:30 p.m.
Fans unable to come out to Stapleton-Pierson Field for Sunday's action can follow it with the live stats link on www.GCULopes.com.
GCU 8, WNMU 0
CSUEB 7, GCU 4
The Antelopes lost the opener to CSU East Bay, 7-4, then came back and earned an 8-0 victory against Western New Mexico.
In the win, freshman pitcher Kiley Raica threw a two-hit shutout, fanning five. She had plenty support from her teammates, who got the game started with a four-run first inning. Junior catcher Lisa Tarnowski hit a three-run home run, her first as a ’Lope. It was followed by consecutive singles from Vanessa Chavez, Lauren Regester, Kara Holtorf and Haley Walker.
GCU added two more in the fourth and one each in the fifth and seventh. Sophomore second baseman Claire Zampini, GCU’s lone preseason All-PacWest choice and the reigning league freshman of the year, had RBI singles in the fourth and seventh.
Zampini, Regester and Walker – both freshmen – had two-hit games against the Mustangs.
Raica didn’t give up a hit until a lead-off fourth-inning single by Ashley Eichenberger. WNMU didn’t get a runner to third base until the sixth, but it came with two outs. It was the only inning Raica dealt with two runners on base, but she quickly got out of any potential trouble when Kale Gahn grounded out to shortstop Kelsey Barak to end the inning.
In the opener, Barak, another member of GCU’s talented freshman class, went 3-for-3 including a solo home run in the fifth to cut the Pioneers’ lead to 6-4.
With a three-run third inning, Grand Canyon took a 3-2 lead. Holtorf started the inning with a single. She scored when frosh leadoff hitter Kayla Henry tripled. Henry scored on an illegal pitches and consecutive walks to Stephanie Smith, Zampini, Barak and Regester plated another run.
In the seventh, Grand Canyon loaded the bases. Zampini drew a one-out walk. Barak singled and Tarnowski walked, but East Bay reliever Kelly Lowe got out of trouble to earn her second save of the season.
“I saw a lot of really good things today,” said GCU coach Ann Pierson. “We were solid defensively the entire day and had a lot of kids do a lot of good things.
“Kiley threw a tremendous game in game 2 and had good command of the zone.”
The three teams go at it again Sunday. GCU takes on Western New Mexico at 10 a.m. and CSU East Bay at 3 p.m. Western and East Bay play each other at 12:30 p.m.
Fans unable to come out to Stapleton-Pierson Field for Sunday's action can follow it with the live stats link on www.GCULopes.com.
GCU 8, WNMU 0
CSUEB 7, GCU 4
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