No. 7 'Lopes Split DH With Hilo

No. 7 Grand Canyon split a Pacific West Conference doubleheader at Hawai’i Hilo, getting a one-hitter and 6-0 win from junior pitcher Kiki Sepulveda after having its six-game winning streak ended with a 5-1 loss at UHH Softball Field Thursday.

The second game was halted after six innings due to poor field conditions after inclement weather. Sepulveda had her no-hitter broken up with a leadoff single in the fifth inning by Brandi Wilson.

GCU led 2-0 and then broke the game open with a four-run sixth inning. The Antelopes had 11 hits. Vanessa Ramirez had an RBI-single, scoring Kelsey Barak, who had earlier singled to start the scoring in the first. GCU added another run in the third when Kayla Henry, who extended her on-base streak to 25 games, singled and scored after an error.

In the sixth, GCU had five hits. Nicole Newbury, Stephanie Smith and Haley Walker opened the inning with singles. Barak and Lauren Regester also had singles. Regester’s hit to left-center scored two runs.

Sepulveda had one strike out and did not walk anyone. Hilo had just two runners on base and no one reached scoring position.

In the first game, they Vulcans scored all five runs in the sixth inning. GCU led 1-0 with a run in the fifth. With two outs, Newbury reached on an error and advanced to second. Smith singled to center to move Newbury to third. A Walker single scored Newbury. Walker and Smith each had two hits. GCU had six for the game.

“We got out-hit and out-pitched in the first game,” said GCU coach Ann Pierson. “We played good defense, but hit too many balls in the air. We didn’t make their defense work. Kiki threw outstanding in the second game and we came back and put some pressure on them.

GCU is 19-6 overall and 7-1 in the PacWest. The Antelopes head to Honolulu with a four-game series with Chaminade. The teams will play doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday. Saturday’s games begin at 1 p.m. Arizona Time. Sunday’s start time is slated for 3 p.m. Fans can follow the live stats with links available at www.GCULopes.com.

“We’ll have our work cut out for us (against Chaminade),” added Pierson.

UHH 5, GCU 1
GCU 6, UHH 0

Grand Canyon University Athletics

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