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
Wednesday, March 9
Phoenix, Ariz.
6 p.m.
Grand Canyon
16-5
5
vs
2
Ball State
5-10
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Ball State
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
2
6
2
Grand Canyon
2
0
2
0
1
0
X
5
7
2
Photo by: Skyler Coblentz
Lopes take down Ball State
3/9/2022 9:05:00 PM | Softball
Thompson earns 7th win; Dunckel goes 3 for 3
The Grand Canyon softball team struck early against Ball State and maintined its lead for a 5-2 win on Wednesday night at GCU Softball Stadium.
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"I was glad we were able to get out and play a midweek game," Lopes head coach Shanon Hays said. "It was good to throw our pitchers some and get some live at bats against a good club. Ariel (Thompson) and Jacie (Hambrick) threw well and the top of our lineup did some good things. That was what we needed going into this weekend."Â
Thompson, a junior right-handed pitcher, kept the Cardinals off the board in the first inning to set the Lopes (16-5) up to get on the board in the bottom half of the inning. With two outs, sophomore shortstop Katelyn Dunckel started her 3-for-3 game with a single up the middle and scored on a double to right field off the bat of graduate first baseman Denae Chatman. Junior right fielder Kristin Fifield doubled down the left field line, scoring Chatman and giving the Lopes a 2-0 lead.Â
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After a scoreless second inning, the Cardinals cut the Lopes lead in half in the top of the third. In the bottom of the inning, the Lopes added to their lead as senior left fielder Gianna Nicoletti singled through the left side to lead off. Graduate center fielder Stephanie Reed was hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second. Nicoletti and Reed executed a double steal before Duncken scored Nicoletti on a single through the right ride. When Dunckel stole second Reed raced home for a 4-1 Lopes lead. Â
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In the top of the fourth, Hambrick came into pitch and the sophomore right-hander shut out Ball State for her three innings. GCU tacked on one more run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Nicoletti drew a leadoff walk and stole her 21st base of the season. Nicoletti moved to third on an error by the Cardinals and scored the final run for the Lopes on a single up the middle by Dunckel, who is hitting a team-best .500 this season.
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The Lopes are back in action at GCU Softball Stadium on Friday, when they play BYU at 2:30 p.m. in their first game of the GCU/ASU Classic.Â
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"I was glad we were able to get out and play a midweek game," Lopes head coach Shanon Hays said. "It was good to throw our pitchers some and get some live at bats against a good club. Ariel (Thompson) and Jacie (Hambrick) threw well and the top of our lineup did some good things. That was what we needed going into this weekend."Â
Thompson, a junior right-handed pitcher, kept the Cardinals off the board in the first inning to set the Lopes (16-5) up to get on the board in the bottom half of the inning. With two outs, sophomore shortstop Katelyn Dunckel started her 3-for-3 game with a single up the middle and scored on a double to right field off the bat of graduate first baseman Denae Chatman. Junior right fielder Kristin Fifield doubled down the left field line, scoring Chatman and giving the Lopes a 2-0 lead.Â
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After a scoreless second inning, the Cardinals cut the Lopes lead in half in the top of the third. In the bottom of the inning, the Lopes added to their lead as senior left fielder Gianna Nicoletti singled through the left side to lead off. Graduate center fielder Stephanie Reed was hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second. Nicoletti and Reed executed a double steal before Duncken scored Nicoletti on a single through the right ride. When Dunckel stole second Reed raced home for a 4-1 Lopes lead. Â
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In the top of the fourth, Hambrick came into pitch and the sophomore right-hander shut out Ball State for her three innings. GCU tacked on one more run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Nicoletti drew a leadoff walk and stole her 21st base of the season. Nicoletti moved to third on an error by the Cardinals and scored the final run for the Lopes on a single up the middle by Dunckel, who is hitting a team-best .500 this season.
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The Lopes are back in action at GCU Softball Stadium on Friday, when they play BYU at 2:30 p.m. in their first game of the GCU/ASU Classic.Â
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Thompson, Ariel (7-2)
L: RUSSO, Angelina (2-2)
S: Eastburn, Kaila (2)
Batting:
2B: WYNN, Haley 1
RBI: WYNN, Haley 1 ; HENSLEY, Faith 1
Base Running:
RUNS: WYNN, Haley 1 ; DUKEMAN, Hannah 1
HBP: HENSLEY, Faith 1
Batting:
2B: Chatman, Denae 1 ; Fifield, Kristin 1
RBI: Dunckel, Katelyn 2 ; Chatman, Denae 1 ; Fifield, Kristin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nicoletti, Gianna 2 ; Reed, Stephanie 1 ; Dunckel, Katelyn 1 ; Chatman, Denae 1
SB: Nicoletti, Gianna 2 ; Reed, Stephanie 2 ; Dunckel, Katelyn 2
CS: Dunckel, Katelyn 1
HBP: Reed, Stephanie 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
1
H
3
RBI
2
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
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