GCU completes sweep of Northern Illinois

Sunday, March 7

Phoenix, Ariz.

1 p.m.

Grand Canyon

8-9

Northern Illinois

3-6

Northern Illinois

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Garrett Ohrenberg

3/7/2021 6:14:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Lopes total 11 hits for 3rd weekend win against Huskies

By: Kellie Reynolds

The Grand Canyon softball team completed a three-game sweep of Northern Illinois, overcoming a seventh-inning threat to end the weekend three-game series with a 7-6 win Sunday at GCU Softball Stadium.

"Great weekend, we are always happy to get three wins in a weekend," Lopes head coach Ann Pierson said. "I was really proud of the girls for really eking this one. I was really proud of Sydnie Sahhar. She threw a great game. She earned this start, and she came out and threw so well, keeping their offense completely off balance and our defense was solid behind her."

After a scoreless first inning, the Lopes got on the board with junior third baseman Savannah Tourville starting the rally by tripling down the right-field line. Freshman shortstop Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage sent a single up the middle, giving the Lopes their first run of the day.

GCU's big inning came in the bottom of the third, when junior left fielder Gianna Nicoletti hit a double down the left-field line with one out and advanced to third on a passed ball. A hard-hit ground ball to second base by sophomore Kristin Fifield scored Nicoletti. Tourville recorded her second hit, giving the Lopes a 3-0 lead. Aguilar-Beaucage followed with a single to left field, making it a 4-0 GCU lead.

"I was extremely proud of our offense as (Northern Illinois') Claire Norred is a great pitcher and I was happy to see our hitters get on her early and then put more runs up against her later on as well and to continue to putting pressure on her until we got into the bullpen again," Pierson said.

In the top of the fifth, the Huskies made it a one-run game with three runs on three hits.

GCU got a little bit of breathing room as Tourville hit a solo home run over the left-center field fence in the bottom half of the inning. The Lopes gave themselves more insurance in the bottom of the sixth with two outs when Nicoletti singled up the middle and stole second. Right fielder Tabitha Dyer followed with a single to left field to score Nicoletti. With the bases loaded, Dyer scored on a passed ball and gave the Lopes a 7-2 lead.

"I thought today was a complete-team win and it was nice to have Ryan (Denhart) come in off the bench and shut the door," Pierson said of her senior pitcher. "We just had kids have great weekends. We talked about some adjustments that needed to be made at the plate and they really stepped up and made them."

NIU put the pressure on the Lopes in the top of the seventh, scoring three runs on three hits before Denhart came in and closed the door on the Huskies to pick up the save.

"I was really pleased with their plan and their approach at the plate, as well as our small ball game and running the bases hard," Pierson said. "Then, cleaning up our defense and it was just a much better weekend and a complete team sweep. Then we head back and see these guys on Wednesday, and it is always hard to play a team that many times so close together. So we are expecting another competitive fight against a good team."

GCU and NIU are back in action Wednesday at 5 p.m. at GCU Softball Stadium.