Upcoming Event: Softball versus Embry-Riddle on October 8, 2025 at 7 p.m.
Softball
7 p.m.
vs Embry-Riddle
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Friday, February 25
Phoenix, Ariz.
5 p.m.
Grand Canyon
9-3
9
vs
1
Incarnate Word
4-9
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
UIW
0
0
0
1
0
1
1
0
Grand Canyon
1
1
1
4
2
9
12
0
Photo by: Skyler Coblentz
Hambrick's 1-hitter beats Incarnate Word
2/25/2022 7:38:00 PM | Softball
Lopes also beats Colorado State on Friday night at home
The Grand Canyon softball team opened the Lopes Up Classic with sophomore right-hander tossing a one-hitter to beat Incarnate Word and the Lopes following that with a 4-2 win against Colorado State on Friday night at GCU Softball Stadium.
"I was happy with how we showed some versatility today," Lopes head coach Shanon Hays said after his team moved to 10-3 this season. "We hit some key home runs in both games. Obviously, Kristin Fifield's was huge and timely. We also used our speed to help produce some runs. Gianna Nicoletti and Hannah Burnett both had good days at the plate. But I was especially happy with Jacie's and Ariel Thompson's starts. Ariel overcame some adversity snd pulled us through the second game. Anjolee Aguilar-Beacuage also gave us a huge spark in the lineup, Good day for the Lopes."Â
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Hambrick retired the Cardinals in order again in the second inning. In the bottom half, senior third baseman Savannah Tourville singled to right center with one out and freshman Emma Villaescusa came in to run. Junior third baseman Hannah Burnett picked up her first hit with a single to shortstop. A walk by junior Macee Barnes loaded the bases before Nicoletti's fielder's choice scored Villaescusa for a 2-0 lead.Â
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A third perfect inning for Hambrick brought the Lopes back to the plate in the bottom of the third inning. Dunckel was hit by a pitch and graduate first baseman Denae Chatman followed with a single up the middle, putting runners on first and third . Junior catcher Kinsey Koeltzow put the ball in play and reached on a fielder's choice and scored Dunckel, making it 3-0 Lopes.
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In the top of the fourth inning, Incarnate Word got on the board with a leadoff home run for its only hit of the game. Hambrick shut the Cardinals down after that, setting up a big Lopes inning in the bottom of the fourth. Burnett singled to left and stole second to start the inning. A bunt single by Barnes brought Burnett home. Reed tripled to right-center, scoring Barnes before a home run by Chatman made the lead 7-1. Â
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The Lopes called game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Koeltzow led off with a single up the middle and scored on a pinch-hit double by Aguilar-Beaucage, who moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Barnes and scored on pinch-hit fielder's choice by freshman Jocellyn La Flesch for the 9-1 victory.
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Both teams were scoreless in the second and third innings. The Rams got on the board in the top of the fourth inning, taking a 2-1 lead on two hits and two GCU errors. Neither team scored in the fifth inning, despite Aguilar-Beaucage and Burnett each reaching on singles.
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Thompson worked another three-up, three-down inning in the top of the sixth to put the Lopes back at the plate. Dunckel and Chatman got hit by pitches consecutively to put runners on first and second for right fielder Kristin Fifield. With a 1-2 count, Fifield took the lead back for the Lopes with a three-run home run to right field, making it 4-2 GCU.
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The Rams showed some fight in the top of the seventh inning, getting one runner aboard before Thompson held them off and secured the win.
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"I was happy with how we showed some versatility today," Lopes head coach Shanon Hays said after his team moved to 10-3 this season. "We hit some key home runs in both games. Obviously, Kristin Fifield's was huge and timely. We also used our speed to help produce some runs. Gianna Nicoletti and Hannah Burnett both had good days at the plate. But I was especially happy with Jacie's and Ariel Thompson's starts. Ariel overcame some adversity snd pulled us through the second game. Anjolee Aguilar-Beacuage also gave us a huge spark in the lineup, Good day for the Lopes."Â
Hambrick 1-hitter leads win vs. Incarnate Word
Hambrick started the game with a strikeout and followed with two ground-ball outs to bring the Lopes to the plate. Senior left fielder Gianna Nicoletti led off with a double to left-center field and a bunt single by graduate center fielder Stephanie Reed gave the Lopes runners on first and third. A single by sophomore shortstop Katelyn Dunckel put GCU ahead 1-0.Â
Hambrick retired the Cardinals in order again in the second inning. In the bottom half, senior third baseman Savannah Tourville singled to right center with one out and freshman Emma Villaescusa came in to run. Junior third baseman Hannah Burnett picked up her first hit with a single to shortstop. A walk by junior Macee Barnes loaded the bases before Nicoletti's fielder's choice scored Villaescusa for a 2-0 lead.Â
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A third perfect inning for Hambrick brought the Lopes back to the plate in the bottom of the third inning. Dunckel was hit by a pitch and graduate first baseman Denae Chatman followed with a single up the middle, putting runners on first and third . Junior catcher Kinsey Koeltzow put the ball in play and reached on a fielder's choice and scored Dunckel, making it 3-0 Lopes.
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In the top of the fourth inning, Incarnate Word got on the board with a leadoff home run for its only hit of the game. Hambrick shut the Cardinals down after that, setting up a big Lopes inning in the bottom of the fourth. Burnett singled to left and stole second to start the inning. A bunt single by Barnes brought Burnett home. Reed tripled to right-center, scoring Barnes before a home run by Chatman made the lead 7-1. Â
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The Lopes called game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Koeltzow led off with a single up the middle and scored on a pinch-hit double by Aguilar-Beaucage, who moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Barnes and scored on pinch-hit fielder's choice by freshman Jocellyn La Flesch for the 9-1 victory.
Fifield 3-run homer pushes Lopes past Rams
The Lopes picked up where they left off, as junior pitcher Ariel Thompson retired Colorado State in order on two fly outs and a ground ball to start the nightcap. Nicoletti hit a leadoff single through the left side and advanced to second on a ground ball by Reed. A single up the middle off the bat of Dunckel brought Nicoletti home and gave the Lopes a 1-0 lead.Â
Both teams were scoreless in the second and third innings. The Rams got on the board in the top of the fourth inning, taking a 2-1 lead on two hits and two GCU errors. Neither team scored in the fifth inning, despite Aguilar-Beaucage and Burnett each reaching on singles.
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Thompson worked another three-up, three-down inning in the top of the sixth to put the Lopes back at the plate. Dunckel and Chatman got hit by pitches consecutively to put runners on first and second for right fielder Kristin Fifield. With a 1-2 count, Fifield took the lead back for the Lopes with a three-run home run to right field, making it 4-2 GCU.
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The Rams showed some fight in the top of the seventh inning, getting one runner aboard before Thompson held them off and secured the win.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hambrick, Jacie (5-1)
L: Garcia, Aaliyah (0-2)
Batting:
HR: Boldt, Maddie 1
RBI: Boldt, Maddie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Boldt, Maddie 1
Batting:
2B: Nicoletti, Gianna 1 ; Aguilar-Beaucage, Anjolee 1
3B: Reed, Stephanie 1
HR: Chatman, Denae 1
RBI: Nicoletti, Gianna 1 ; Reed, Stephanie 1 ; Dunckel, Katelyn 1 ; Chatman, Denae 2 ; Koeltzow, Kinsey 1 ; Aguilar-Beaucage, Anjolee 1 ; Barnes, Macee 1 ; La Flesch, Jocellyn 1
SH: Burnett, Hannah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nicoletti, Gianna 1 ; Reed, Stephanie 1 ; Dunckel, Katelyn 1 ; Chatman, Denae 1 ; Koeltzow, Kinsey 1 ; Villaescusa, Emma 1 ; Aguilar-Beaucage, Anjolee 1 ; Burnett, Hannah 1 ; Barnes, Macee 1
SB: Reed, Stephanie 1 ; Dunckel, Katelyn 1 ; Burnett, Hannah 1 ; Barnes, Macee 1
HBP: Dunckel, Katelyn 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
dp/3b
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
/ SoftballINF
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INF
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UTL
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C/INF
/ Softball
INF
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OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P/UTL
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UTL
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