Upcoming Event: Softball versus Pima CC on September 30, 2025 at 6 p.m.
Softball
6 p.m.
vs Pima CC
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Friday, February 12
Phoenix, Ariz.
3 p.m.
Grand Canyon
1-1
8
vs
2
Weber State
0-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Weber State
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
2
5
2
Grand Canyon
0
1
1
1
5
0
X
8
11
2
Offense explodes against Weber State
2/12/2021 9:47:00 PM | Softball
Lopes split on opening day of GCU Kickoff Classic
Grand Canyon opened the GCU Kickoff Classic with an 8-2 win over Weber State on Friday as senior pitcher Ryan Denhart picked up the win after only allowing one run and the Lopes offense came alive in the fifth inning. However, the Lopes were unable to string enough hits together in their second game Friday and fell 9-4 to Montana.
"This was a great collective effort," GCU assistant coach Chelsey Broermann said. "We had quality at bats throughout the lineup and were able to produce in multiples and keep turning our lineup over. Our pitchers did a great job of keeping us in the game so our offense could go to work and take hold."
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GCU (1-2) managed to score a run in each of the second, third and fourth innings. But the Lopes really got into a groove in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Senior designated player Lilly Bishop led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. Sophomore Araceli Pesqueira came into pinch run and scored on a double to right-center field by senior catcher Kaylee Dietrich. A single up the middle by freshman third baseman Daisy Taloa scored Dietrch, giving the Lopes a 5-1 lead. Freshman shortstop Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage doubled down the left field line, scoring Taloa and junior first baseman Savannah Tourville. The Lopes' last run of the game came after a single by junior center fielder Gianna Nicoletti singled through the left side scoring Aguilar-Beaucage.
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"We have been trying to figure out how to make adjustments really quickly and figure out what our identity as a team is going to be and, in today's game with Weber, we started to do that," Dietrich said. "We focused on seeing the ball and staying through it today. I felt like everyone was seeing the ball great. Once we started scoring runs, we kind of put our foot on the gas and wanted to score as many as we could."
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The Wildcats picked up their second run of the game in the top of the seventh inning, but sophomore pitcher Sydnie Sahhar shut down the rally to secure the save. Â
"This was a demonstration of what we have been talking about since Day 1; everyone working together to pull the rope in the same direction," Broermann said. "That was a great first win and one that we will use to keep moving forward."
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Despite early lead, Lopes fall to Montana Â
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GCU, as the visitor, started where it left off in Game 1. Nicoletti drew a leadoff walk and stole second. Sophomore center fielder Kristin Fifield singled to center field, allowing Nicoletti to advance to third and then scored on a throwing error by the center fielder. With the bases loaded and two outs, Aguilar-Beaucage sent a single into right field scoring Fifield to give the Lopes a 2-0 lead to start the game.
"We did a lot of good things," Broermann said. "Scoring early is always a good way to set the tone, especially coming off a win."
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Montana responded with four runs on four hits and two GCU errors in the bottom of the third inning.
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GCU showed its fight in the top of the fourth as sophomore second baseman Jordan Pierson led off with a single up the middle. Sophomore right fielder Jaiden Reid reached on an error by the first baseman, allowing Pierson to score and Nicoletti to move to third. The Lopes tied it up after Fifield hit a deep sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Nicoletti.Â
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In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Grizzlies strung two hits and drew a walk before they cleared the bases for an 8-4 lead over the Lopes. Montana tacked on one more run in the bottom of sixth to make it 9-4.
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GCU looked to respond in the top of the seventh, as Nicoletti picked up her third hit of the day, but the Griz was able to hold off the Lopes. Â
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"Again, we proved that working together is a formula for our success," Broermann said. "We had multiple hitters play their role in getting us baserunners and putting us in scoring position and we had a lot of solid contact throughout the game, which is what we are asking for from our lineup offensively. (Freshman pitcher) Jacie (Hambrick) had a great start to the game and definitely gave us a chance to rally behind her offensively. We are excited to play Montana tomorrow and play the kind of softball we know we are capable of."
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The Lopes continue the GCU Kickoff Classic with games at 4Â p.m. and 6Â p.m. on Saturday at GCU Softball Stadium.
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"This was a great collective effort," GCU assistant coach Chelsey Broermann said. "We had quality at bats throughout the lineup and were able to produce in multiples and keep turning our lineup over. Our pitchers did a great job of keeping us in the game so our offense could go to work and take hold."
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GCU (1-2) managed to score a run in each of the second, third and fourth innings. But the Lopes really got into a groove in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Senior designated player Lilly Bishop led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch. Sophomore Araceli Pesqueira came into pinch run and scored on a double to right-center field by senior catcher Kaylee Dietrich. A single up the middle by freshman third baseman Daisy Taloa scored Dietrch, giving the Lopes a 5-1 lead. Freshman shortstop Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage doubled down the left field line, scoring Taloa and junior first baseman Savannah Tourville. The Lopes' last run of the game came after a single by junior center fielder Gianna Nicoletti singled through the left side scoring Aguilar-Beaucage.
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"We have been trying to figure out how to make adjustments really quickly and figure out what our identity as a team is going to be and, in today's game with Weber, we started to do that," Dietrich said. "We focused on seeing the ball and staying through it today. I felt like everyone was seeing the ball great. Once we started scoring runs, we kind of put our foot on the gas and wanted to score as many as we could."
Â
The Wildcats picked up their second run of the game in the top of the seventh inning, but sophomore pitcher Sydnie Sahhar shut down the rally to secure the save. Â
"This was a demonstration of what we have been talking about since Day 1; everyone working together to pull the rope in the same direction," Broermann said. "That was a great first win and one that we will use to keep moving forward."
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Despite early lead, Lopes fall to Montana Â
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GCU, as the visitor, started where it left off in Game 1. Nicoletti drew a leadoff walk and stole second. Sophomore center fielder Kristin Fifield singled to center field, allowing Nicoletti to advance to third and then scored on a throwing error by the center fielder. With the bases loaded and two outs, Aguilar-Beaucage sent a single into right field scoring Fifield to give the Lopes a 2-0 lead to start the game.
"We did a lot of good things," Broermann said. "Scoring early is always a good way to set the tone, especially coming off a win."
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Montana responded with four runs on four hits and two GCU errors in the bottom of the third inning.
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GCU showed its fight in the top of the fourth as sophomore second baseman Jordan Pierson led off with a single up the middle. Sophomore right fielder Jaiden Reid reached on an error by the first baseman, allowing Pierson to score and Nicoletti to move to third. The Lopes tied it up after Fifield hit a deep sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Nicoletti.Â
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In the bottom of the fifth inning, the Grizzlies strung two hits and drew a walk before they cleared the bases for an 8-4 lead over the Lopes. Montana tacked on one more run in the bottom of sixth to make it 9-4.
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GCU looked to respond in the top of the seventh, as Nicoletti picked up her third hit of the day, but the Griz was able to hold off the Lopes. Â
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"Again, we proved that working together is a formula for our success," Broermann said. "We had multiple hitters play their role in getting us baserunners and putting us in scoring position and we had a lot of solid contact throughout the game, which is what we are asking for from our lineup offensively. (Freshman pitcher) Jacie (Hambrick) had a great start to the game and definitely gave us a chance to rally behind her offensively. We are excited to play Montana tomorrow and play the kind of softball we know we are capable of."
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The Lopes continue the GCU Kickoff Classic with games at 4Â p.m. and 6Â p.m. on Saturday at GCU Softball Stadium.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Denhart, Ryan (1-0)
L: SINK, Amanda (0-1)
S: Sahhar, Sydnie (1)
Batting:
2B: HOE, Faith 1 ; HOE, Lauren 1 ; FOSTER, Noelle 1
HR: WHITING, Katelyn 1
RBI: WHITING, Katelyn 1 ; FOSTER, Noelle 1
SH: RUSHTON, Mia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: DONAHOO, Makayla 1 ; WHITING, Katelyn 1
HBP: HOE, Faith 1
Batting:
2B: Nicoletti, Gianna 1 ; Reid, Jaiden 1 ; Dietrich, Kaylee 1 ; Aguilar-Beaucage, Anjolee 1 ; Pierson, Jordan 1
RBI: Nicoletti, Gianna 2 ; Dietrich, Kaylee 2 ; Taloa, Daisy 1 ; Aguilar-Beaucage, Anjolee 2 ; Pierson, Jordan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pesqueira, Araceli 1 ; Fifield, Kristin 1 ; Dietrich, Kaylee 1 ; Taloa, Daisy 2 ; Tourville, Savannah 1 ; Aguilar-Beaucage, Anjolee 1 ; Pierson, Jordan 1
HBP: Bishop, Lilly 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballC/INF
/ Softball
UTL
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
UTL
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UTL
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OF
/ Softball
P
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