Lopes take 2 in Seattle to stay in 1st

Friday, April 15

Seattle, Wash.

3 p.m.

Grand Canyon

28-10, 11-2

Seattle U

23-16, 9-4

Grand Canyon

Seattle U

Photo by: Skyler Coblentz

4/15/2022 7:16:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GCU allowed 1 run in WAC road doubleheader sweep

By: Kellie Reynolds

SEATTLE – The Grand Canyon softball team took on Seattle U at Logan Field on Friday in a battle for first pace in the WAC West Division. GCU took down the Redhawks 7-1 in Game 1 as junior right-hander Ariel Thompson threw her 12th complete game of the season. The Lopes won 3-0 in Game 2, earning sophomore pitcher Jacie Hambrick her third shutout of the season.

"I was really proud of how our ladies came out and competed today," GCU head coach Shanon Hays said. "When you get two super starts in the circle, it gives a team a great boost and we that today in Ariel and Jacie. Gianna (Nicoletti) set the table both games and Kristin (Fifield) had some nice jacks today. Denae (Chatman) also had some key hits. Really, everybody did some good things today to help us win. Defensively, we were really solid. They just played well. Hopefully, we will bring it tomorrow as well."

The Lopes struck first in Game 1, as senior left fielder Gianna Nicoletti drew a leadoff walk and stole second for the Lopes' 100th stolen base of the season. GCU is the second team in the nation to reach 100 stolen bases this season. With one out and Nicoletti on second, junior right fielder Kristin Fifield tripled to center field scoring Nicoletti.

Thompson tossed a perfect inning in the bottom half of the inning and brought the Lopes back up to the plate. Graduate center fielder Stephanie Reed led off the second with a triple to left field and scored on a wild pitch to give the Lopes their second run of the game. Junior Hannah Burnett followed with a single to left field and scored on a deep fly ball to center field by senior third baseman Savannah Tourville.

Thompson threw her second scoreless inning, putting the Lopes back up at the plate. Fifield started the third inning by getting hit by a pitch and stole second to put a runner on second with no out for graduate first baseman Denae Chatman, who singled through the left side to put runners on first and third. Another wild pitch scored Fifield this time and gave the Lopes their fourth run of the game.

Thompson tossed scoreless third and fourth innings for the Lopes. GCU added one more run in the top of the fifth when Fifield hit a solo shot to center field for her 10th home run of the season.

The Redhawks got on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring one run on two hits. GCU responded in the top of the seventh inning as Nicoletti started things off with an infield single to third base. Sophomore shortstop Katelyn Dunckel followed with a single to right field and advanced to second on an errorm putting runners on second and third. Fifield recorded her third RBI of the day with a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Nicoletti. Dunckel came around and scored the Lopes final run on a stand-up double to left-center field from junior catcher Kinsey Koeltzow.

Thompson tossed her sixth scoreless inning to close out her 14th win of the season.

Hambrick tosses shutout in Game 2

Game 2 started out with the Lopes on top once again as Nicoletti led off with a single up the middle and stole second. Nicoletti advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Reed and scored on a single to right field by Chatman to take a 1-0 lead.

Neither team was able to get anything going in the second and third innings. The Lopes tried to rally in the top of the third as Fifield recorded her second single of the game. Tourville moved Fifield over to second and put runners on first and second with one out, but the Lopes could not score.

The Redhawks started a fifth-inning rally with a leadoff runner, but Hambrick continued to keep the Redhawks off the board.

GCU grabbed two runs in the top of the seventh inning as Tourville led off by getting hit by a pitch and was pinch-run for by freshman Emma Villaescusa, who moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore pinch-hitter Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage. With two outs, Reed sent one into deep right field and was able to score Villaescusa and get to second. Dunckel followed with a single to center field, scoring Reed for a 3-0 Lopes lead.

Hambrick drew three straight ground balls to Dunckel to retire Seattle in the seventh inning and earn the shutout win.

The Lopes are back in action on Saturday at 1 p.m. (Phoenix time) as they look to sweep the series at Seattle at 1 p.m.