Lopes walk off Wildcats, fall in extras to KU

Saturday, February 12

Phoenix, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

3-0

Weber State

2-2

Weber State

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Skyler Coblentz

2/12/2022 9:24:00 PM | Softball

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Dunckel goes 4 for 6 on season's 2nd day

By: Kellie Reynolds

The Grand Canyon softball team started the second day of the GCU Kickoff Classic with a 4-3, walk-off win against Weber State on Saturday night before falling 10-7 to Kansas in an extra-inning nightcap.

After starting off the first game trailing, GCU chipped away at the Wildcats lead before securing the win in the bottom of the seventh with two outs. The Lopes (3-1) led 7-3 through five innings against the Jayhawks before allowing seven unanswered runs.

"It was a weird day," GCU head coach Shanon Hays said. "We kind of ran out of gas at the end. We fought back and did some good things to win Game 1 and then to get beat by Kansas. Have to give Kansas credit. They caught some hard-hit balls and dropped in some hits at the right times to fight back themselves. So we have to regroup and get ourselves ready for Bradley. Today was fun but a long day."

The Wildcats opened the first game by scoring three runs on three hits and two GCU errors. The Lopes responded as left fielder Gianna Nicoletti led off with an infield single and moved to second on the hit and run with center fielder Stephanie Reed. Nicoletti stole third and scored on a single down the right-field line by sophomore shortstop Katelyn Dunckel. The Lopes picked up their second run when Dunckel scored on an error, making it a 3-2 game.

Both teams were scoreless in the second through fourth innings. The Lopes put pressure on the Wildcats in the bottom of the fifth inning, when Nicoletti managed to get on with one out and stole second. The Lopes put runners on first and third but could not push anyone across home plate.

After a scoreless fifth and sixth for Weber, GCU junior catcher Kinsey Koeltzow tied the game in the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run to center field, making it 3-3.

Lopes sophomore Jacie Hambrick came in relief with a runner on first and no outs and shut the door on the Wildcats. With two outs and nobody on for GCU in the bottom of the seventh, Reed singled to right field and stole second. Dunckel singled to second base and a throwing error allowed Reed to score for the walk-off win.

GCU falls in extra innings to Kansas

The Lopes took on Kansas in their fourth game of the GCU Kickoff Classic. Kansas got on the board first, scoring one run on three hits in the top of the first inning. GCU answered in the bottom half of the inning, when Nicoletti led off by reaching on an error and, in typical fashion, stole second and made it to third on an error. A Dunckel ground ball back to the pitcher brought Nicoletti across the plate to tie it up at 1-1.

GCU tacked on one more run in the bottom of the second, when first baseman Denae Chatman started the inning with a single up the middle. Freshman Emma Villaescusa ran for Chatman and scored on a double to left center from sophomore Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage to take a 2-1 lead.

Nicoletti started the bottom of the third with a bunt single and advanced to third on a single up the middle by Dunckel. Chatman then cleared the bases with a home run to left-center field for a 4-1 Lopes lead.

The Jayhawks picked up a run apiece in the fourth and fifth innings to cut the Lopes lead to 5-3. However, in the bottom of the fifth inning, Reed singled to center and stole second before Duckel doubled down the left-field line to score her. Annie Villalobos smacked a pinch-hit single to center, scoring Dunckel and adding two runs to the Lopes lead.

Kansas added two runs on one hit and one GCU error to make it 7-5 Lopes through six innings.

In the top of the seventh, Kansas tied the game at 7-7 with two runs on two hits, including two-out tying hit. With two outs and runners on first and second, Nicoletti made an amazing catch up against the wall to save more runs from scoring.

The Lopes put up a fight in the bottom half of the seventh, when Nicoletti hit a lead-off infield single. Kansas got out of the jam with a pop up and doubling off Nicoletti. With two outs, Dunckel drew a walk and moved to third when right fielder Kristin Fifield singled up the middle, but the Jayhawks halted the Lopes there and forced extra innings.

In the top of the eighth, the Jayhawks grabbed the lead for the first time since the top of the first inning. They added three runs on two hits and one GCU error. The Lopes were unable to fight back in the bottom of the eighth and suffered their first loss of the season.