Lopes drop doubleheader in Riverside

Friday, April 23

Riverside, Calif

5 p.m.

Grand Canyon

16-24, 5-5

California Baptist

18-25-1, 6-7

Grand Canyon

California Baptist

Photo by: CBU Athletics

4/23/2021 11:35:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GCU takes Lancers to 9 innings in nightcap at CBU

By: Kellie Reynolds

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Grand Canyon softball team returned to action after nine days off to take on California Baptis in a Friday conference doubleheader. Despite scoring first, the Lopes dropped the first game 3-1 and lost 3-2 in a nine-inning nightcap at CBU.

Right fielder Tabitha Dyer got the Lopes going in Game 1 when she was hit by a pitch with one out and senior first baseman Lilly Bishop followed with a single to right field. Junior second baseman Savannah Tourville drew a two-out walk to load the bases, setting up another walk from sophomore center fielder Kristin Fifield to give GCU its only run of the game. Fifield went 2 for 2 with a walk.

The Lancers answered in the bottom of the first inning, scoring one run on three hits to tie the game. Freshman right-handed pitcher Jacie Hambrick kept CBU off the board in the bottom of the second, as she only faced four batters.

In the third inning, CBU took a 2-1 lead before GCU sophomore left hander Sydnie Sahhar threw back-to-back scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth to keep the Lopes within one run. The Lancers added a run in the sixth for the 3-1 final.

Lopes drop Game 2 in extras

In a similar story to Game 1, the Lopes struck first in the top of the first inning. Junior left fielder Gianna Nicoletti started the game with a single to left field and stole second and moved to third with one out. With a full count, Bishop sent a line drive to left field, scoring Nicoletti and giving the Lopes a 1-0 lead.

CBU answered again in the bottom half of the first to tie the game at 1-1.

GCU senior right-hander Ryan Denhart kept the Lancers off the board in the second and third innings. With two out and no one on, Tourville sent one over the left-field fence to give the Lopes the lead back at 2-1.

Denhart shut out CBU in the fourth and fifth innings, but the Lancers tied it at 2-2 in the sixth on two hits.

GCU started to rally in the top of the seventh inning, as Fifield led off the inning with a single to left field and freshman shortstop Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage followed with a walk. The Lopes rally stopped there, but Denhart retired the side in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings.

The Lopes threatened in the top of the eighth when Nicoletti drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Dyer. Bishop followed with a single to left, but the Lopes rally came to a halt after that.

CBU scored in the bottom of the ninth with two outs to take the second game from the Lopes.

The Lopes are back on Saturday in Riverside, California, where they take on CBU in the final game of the series at noon. CBU (19-25-1, 7-7 WAC) moved past GCU (16-25, 5-6 WAC) for third place in the conference on Friday.