GCU drops two in opening day of Lopes Up Classic

Friday, March 12

Phoenix, Ariz.

1:30 p.m.

Grand Canyon

9-11

Baylor

12-4

Baylor

Grand Canyon

3/12/2021 7:12:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

Nicoletti steals 15th base to claim 1st in GCU single season record

By: Kellie Reynolds

The Grand Canyon softball team opened up the Lopes Up Classic against Baylor and followed with a game against Northern Illinois University. GCU fell to the Lady Bears in five innings and then dropped the second game of the day as well.

GCU recorded the first hit of the game as junior left fielder Gianna Nicoletti lead off the bottom of the first as she reached on an infield single.

It was Baylor however, who got on the board first scoring two runs on two hits in the top of the second.

The Lopes got one run back though in the bottom of the third inning as sophomore second baseman, Jordan Pierson started the rally with a single through the left side with one out. Nicoletti nabbed her second infield single in the following at bat. With two outs and runners on first and second senior first baseman, Lilly Bishop laced it up the middle for a single bringing Nicoletti home.

Baylor responded in a big way in the top of the fourth as they scored nine runs seven hits to make the score 11-1.

GCU looked like they were going to get a rally of their own going as junior third baseman, Savannah Tourville got hit by a pitch to start off the bottom of the fourth inning. A single up the middle by freshman shortstop, Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage followed. With one out senior catcher, Kaylee Dietrich sent a single up the middle to load the based for the Lopes. The Lopes rally however was stopped there.

The Lady Bears added one more run in the top of the fifth inning to make the final score 12-1.

Lopes fall in their fifth meeting with NIU

GCU the visitors in the second game were the ones who struck first. In the top of the second inning sophomore center fielder, Kristin Fifield reaches on an error and was advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Tourville. Aguilar-Beaucage singled to short stop scoring Fifield giving the Lopes a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the third the Huskies took the lead scoring four runs on three hits. NIU scored their final run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning to give themselves a 5-1 lead over the Lopes.

The Lopes still had some fight in them as Nicoletti singled to short with two outs and then stole her 15^th bases of the season giving her sole possession in the GCU record book for bases stolen in a single season. Right fielder Tabitha Dyer laced a single up the middle to score the Lopes final run of the game.

GCU will be back in action tomorrow, Sunday at 1 p.m. as they take on the Baylor Lady Bears at the GCU Softball Stadium.

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Friday, May 16

GCU sheds unknown tag entering regional vs. Ole Miss

Thursday, May 15

Next Event

Baylor

L, 2-12

Mar 13 (Sat)

1:00 p.m.

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Team Stats

Pitching:

W: Rodoni, Gia (4-3)

L: Sahhar, Sydnie (1-2)

Baylor

Batting:

2B: Gilbert, Lou 1 ; Watson, Ana 1 ; LaValley, Zadie 1

HR: Watson, Ana 1 ; LaValley, Zadie 1

RBI: Dawson, Nicky 1 ; Gilbert, Lou 1 ; Binford, Aliyah 1 ; Watson, Ana 4 ; LaValley, Zadie 2 ; Hott, Emily 1

SH: Gilbert, Lou 1

Base Running:

RUNS: Gilbert, Lou 1 ; McGlaun, Goose 1 ; Cross, Kendall 1 ; Binford, Aliyah 1 ; Bower, Josie 1 ; Watson, Ana 3 ; LaValley, Zadie 1 ; Smith, Hannah 1 ; Kettler, Maddison 1 ; Hott, Emily 1