Nowlin’s Gem Lifts GCU to Second Win of the Day

Saturday, March 22

Santa Clara, CA

12 p.m.

Grand Canyon

13-15

Santa Clara

4-18

Grand Canyon

Santa Clara

Camree Wartman laced three doubles and accumulated four RBI Saturday.

Photo by: Theon Carrier

3/22/2014 1:44:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

‘Lopes will play Santa Clara at 12:30 p.m. Sunday in weekend finale

After splitting its games on Friday, the Grand Canyon University (14-15) softball team picked up a pair of wins Saturday in day two of the Santa Clara Marriott Round Robin. The Antelopes defeated tournament host Santa Clara in game one, 7-1, and then run-ruled Princeton (5-14) in game two, 8-0, after five innings of play.

"We played really well today and did a great job at the plate," said head coach Ann Pierson. "We brought great energy today and jumped on both teams right away."

Game One
For the third game in a row, the 'Lopes got on the board in the opening frame, as GCU's leadoff hitter Haley Walker scored on a Lauren Regester RBI single to left field to give Canyon an early 1-0 lead.

GCU picked up another run in the top of the third when Camree Wartman connected on a two-out double and then scored on a Stephanie Smith RBI single, extending the lead to 2-0.

The 'Lopes capitalized on two Santa Clara errors in the fourth, scoring three more times and advancing the lead to 5-0. Kelsey Barak picked up an RBI single and Kayla Henry, Claire Zampini, and Walker all crossed the plate in the frame.

The Broncos picked up their lone run of the game on a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth.

Kylie Shull and Zampini each tallied RBI singles in the top of the seventh, scoring two more runs and moving the lead to 7-1.

Walker finished the mid-day affair with four hits at the dish and Zampini went 3-for-4 at the plate.

Stephanie Pesqueira hurled all seven innings, striking out six, while surrendering only one run on six hits. With the win, the senior right-hander is now 6-7 this spring in the circle.

Game Two
GCU came up victorious over Princeton for the second consecutive day, as the 'Lopes were led by a trio of freshman in Canyon's 8-0 game two win over the Tigers.

Freshman Taylor Nowlin hurled a complete-game gem, not allowing a run and striking out three in five innings of action. The left-hander surrendered just two hits on her way to picking up her second win of the season in the circle.

Fellow freshmen Kylie Shull and Camree Wartman helped the 'Lopes get out to an early first-inning lead, as they both drilled doubles that each scored a pair of runs. Stephanie Smith also contributed an RBI single to give GCU a 5-0 lead in the contest's initial frame.

Wartman picked up RBI number three of the evening affair with a groundout in the bottom of the second, scoring Kayla Henry and pushing the lead to 6-0.

Wartman continued to swing a hot bat in the bottom of the fourth, as the first-year infielder smoked a two-out double--her third of the day--down the right field line, which scored Henry and tallied a fourth RBI to Wartman's game two resume and made the score 7-0.

Claire Zampini scored on a Henry RBI groundout in the bottom of the fifth to give the 'Lopes an 8-0 run-rule victory.

A quartet of GCU hitters finished with multi-hit performances, as Henry, Zampini, Shull, and Wartman all collected two hits in the showdown.

"Peski and Taylor were both throwing four pitches for strikes," added Pierson. "Our defense played great behind them all day and I'm proud of the way we played today."

The 'Lopes will wrap up play at the weekend invitational in Santa Clara with a 12:30 p.m. contest Sunday against Santa Clara. Fans can find a link for live stats and complete game recap at www.gculopes.com.

GCU 7, Santa Clara 1
GCU 8, Princeton 0