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, April 8
Phoenix, Ariz.
2 p.m.
Grand Canyon
26-9, 0
13
vs
4
Utah Valley
12-16, 0
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Utah Valley
0
0
4
0
0
4
6
3
Grand Canyon
0
7
1
1
4
13
12
0
Photo by: Skyler Coblentz
Lopes get 2 run-rule wins off Utah Valley
4/8/2022 7:51:00 PM | Softball
Dunckel hits GCU's 1st grand slam of season to end Game 2
The Grand Canyon softball team swept a Friday doubleheader against Utah Valley by using a seven-run second inning in the first game's 13-4 victory and winning by run rule again in the GCU Softball Stadium nightcap, when the Lopes quiet bats awoke in the bottom of the sixth to walk off with a 10-1 on sophomore shortstop Katelyn Dunckel's grand slam.
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"Had two good offensive games today with two solid starts in the circle," GCU head coach Shanon Hays said. "Jacie (Hambrick) and Ariel (Thompson) started off well and we made plays behind them. Our speed was good on the bases, as well as having some timely swings in the middle of the of the lineup. Need to be ready tomorrow against a really good offensive team."
GCU (27-9, 10-1 WAC) hit .412 on Friday with four home runs and seven stolen bases in the two victories that gave them a two-game lead in the WAC's West Division.
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Lopes junior pitcher Ariel Thompson tossed a scoreless first inning, not allowing a Wolverine to get on base. GCU senior left fielder Gianna Nicoletti started off the bottom of the first with a double to left field and advanced to third on a long fly from Dunckel before being stranded.
Another perfect inning in the second for Thompson put the Lopes back in the dugout. Once again, GCU started off the inning with a double, this time off the bat of junior right fielder Kristin Fifield. With runners on first and second, junior designated player Hannah Burnett dropped a beautiful bunt for a single and loaded the bases for senior third baseman Savannah Tourville.
Tourville gave the Lopes their first run with a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Fifield. Junior second baseman Macee Barnes singled to left field, scoring graduate center fielder Stephanie Reed and Burnett for a 3-0 Lopes lead. Nicoletti picked up her second hit with a single up the middle, moving Barnes to third and causing a pitching change for the Wolverines.
Barnes scored on an error by the Utah Valley catcher and Nicoletti scored on a single from Dunckel. Junior catcher Kinsey Koeltzow recorded her first triple of the season, scoring Dunckel. The Lopes' last run of the inning came from a ground ball off the bat of graduate first baseman Denae Chatman, giving the Lopes a 7-0 lead after two innings.Â
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Utah Valley cut the Lopes lead in half after scoring four runs on four hits in the top of the third inning. The Lopes grabbed one more run in the bottom half of the third when Burnett drew a leadoff walk, stole second and later scored on Dunckel's sacrfice fly.
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Thompson tossed her third perfect inning in the fourth, bringing the Lopes back to the plate. GCU added one run in the bottom of the half with a solo shot from Chatman. Â
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The Wolverines tried to get something going in the top of the fifth, but Thompson was able to collect another scoreless inning. GCU closed out the game with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Barnes led off by reaching on an error and stole second. Nicoletti followed with a bunt single and moved Barnes to third. Barnes scored as the Wolverines attempted to catch Nicoletti stealing, but the ball got past the shortstop and moved Nicoletti to third. Dunckel picked up her third RBI with a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing Nicoletti home. Junior right fielder Kristin Fifield delivered a two-run home run to center field to complete the run-rule victory. Â
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GCU sophomore pitcher Jacie Hambrick shut down Utah Valley in the following innings, only giving up two hits in four innings. In the bottom of the fourth, Fifield started with a single to right and came home when Koeltzow cleared the park with a two-run shot for a 4-0 lead.Â
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UVU put pressure on the Lopes with runners on first and second and one out to force a pitching change for GCU. The Lopes brought in sophomore right hander Kaila Eastburn, who faced one batter as Dunckel and Barnes turned a double play to end the inning.Â
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The Wolverines grabbed one run in the top of the sixth, making it a three-run ball game. GCU, however, got a rally going in the bottom half of the inning, as Chatman led off with a single to center field and came out for pinch runner Emma Villaescusa, who stole second. A Reed double scored Villaescusa to get the run back and bring the Lopes lead back to four.
With two outs and Reed on second, Tourville was hit by a pitch. Barnes followed with a single to center field, scoring Barnes. Nicoletti drew a walk to load the bases for Dunckel, who cleared the bases with the Lopes' first grand slam of the season and gave them their second walk-off run rule win of the day.
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The Lopes return to GCU Softball Stadium for the series finale against the Wolverines on Saturday at 1 p.m.
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"Had two good offensive games today with two solid starts in the circle," GCU head coach Shanon Hays said. "Jacie (Hambrick) and Ariel (Thompson) started off well and we made plays behind them. Our speed was good on the bases, as well as having some timely swings in the middle of the of the lineup. Need to be ready tomorrow against a really good offensive team."
GCU (27-9, 10-1 WAC) hit .412 on Friday with four home runs and seven stolen bases in the two victories that gave them a two-game lead in the WAC's West Division.
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Lopes junior pitcher Ariel Thompson tossed a scoreless first inning, not allowing a Wolverine to get on base. GCU senior left fielder Gianna Nicoletti started off the bottom of the first with a double to left field and advanced to third on a long fly from Dunckel before being stranded.
Another perfect inning in the second for Thompson put the Lopes back in the dugout. Once again, GCU started off the inning with a double, this time off the bat of junior right fielder Kristin Fifield. With runners on first and second, junior designated player Hannah Burnett dropped a beautiful bunt for a single and loaded the bases for senior third baseman Savannah Tourville.
Tourville gave the Lopes their first run with a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Fifield. Junior second baseman Macee Barnes singled to left field, scoring graduate center fielder Stephanie Reed and Burnett for a 3-0 Lopes lead. Nicoletti picked up her second hit with a single up the middle, moving Barnes to third and causing a pitching change for the Wolverines.
Barnes scored on an error by the Utah Valley catcher and Nicoletti scored on a single from Dunckel. Junior catcher Kinsey Koeltzow recorded her first triple of the season, scoring Dunckel. The Lopes' last run of the inning came from a ground ball off the bat of graduate first baseman Denae Chatman, giving the Lopes a 7-0 lead after two innings.Â
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Utah Valley cut the Lopes lead in half after scoring four runs on four hits in the top of the third inning. The Lopes grabbed one more run in the bottom half of the third when Burnett drew a leadoff walk, stole second and later scored on Dunckel's sacrfice fly.
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Thompson tossed her third perfect inning in the fourth, bringing the Lopes back to the plate. GCU added one run in the bottom of the half with a solo shot from Chatman. Â
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The Wolverines tried to get something going in the top of the fifth, but Thompson was able to collect another scoreless inning. GCU closed out the game with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Barnes led off by reaching on an error and stole second. Nicoletti followed with a bunt single and moved Barnes to third. Barnes scored as the Wolverines attempted to catch Nicoletti stealing, but the ball got past the shortstop and moved Nicoletti to third. Dunckel picked up her third RBI with a sacrifice fly to center field, bringing Nicoletti home. Junior right fielder Kristin Fifield delivered a two-run home run to center field to complete the run-rule victory. Â
Late push results in 2nd run-rule win
The Lopes got on the board in the first inning when Nicoletti and Dunckel led off with singles to left. Three wild pitches by the Wolverines allowed Nicoletti and Dunckel to score and give the Lopes a 2-0 lead.ÂÂ
GCU sophomore pitcher Jacie Hambrick shut down Utah Valley in the following innings, only giving up two hits in four innings. In the bottom of the fourth, Fifield started with a single to right and came home when Koeltzow cleared the park with a two-run shot for a 4-0 lead.Â
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UVU put pressure on the Lopes with runners on first and second and one out to force a pitching change for GCU. The Lopes brought in sophomore right hander Kaila Eastburn, who faced one batter as Dunckel and Barnes turned a double play to end the inning.Â
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The Wolverines grabbed one run in the top of the sixth, making it a three-run ball game. GCU, however, got a rally going in the bottom half of the inning, as Chatman led off with a single to center field and came out for pinch runner Emma Villaescusa, who stole second. A Reed double scored Villaescusa to get the run back and bring the Lopes lead back to four.
With two outs and Reed on second, Tourville was hit by a pitch. Barnes followed with a single to center field, scoring Barnes. Nicoletti drew a walk to load the bases for Dunckel, who cleared the bases with the Lopes' first grand slam of the season and gave them their second walk-off run rule win of the day.
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The Lopes return to GCU Softball Stadium for the series finale against the Wolverines on Saturday at 1 p.m.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Thompson, Ariel (13-2)
L: Zuniga,Katie (5-6)
Batting:
2B: Thorpe,Rylee 1
HR: Rebolledo,Linnah 1
RBI: Rebolledo,Linnah 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Carr,Madison 1 ; Rebolledo,Linnah 1 ; Betancur,Laynee 1 ; Thorpe,Rylee 1
SB: Carr,Madison 1
Batting:
2B: Nicoletti, Gianna 1 ; Fifield, Kristin 2 ; Burnett, Hannah 1
3B: Koeltzow, Kinsey 1
HR: Chatman, Denae 1 ; Fifield, Kristin 1
RBI: Dunckel, Katelyn 3 ; Koeltzow, Kinsey 1 ; Chatman, Denae 2 ; Fifield, Kristin 2 ; Tourville, Savannah 1 ; Barnes, Macee 2
SF: Dunckel, Katelyn 2 ; Tourville, Savannah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nicoletti, Gianna 2 ; Dunckel, Katelyn 1 ; Koeltzow, Kinsey 1 ; Chatman, Denae 1 ; Villaescusa, Emma 1 ; Fifield, Kristin 2 ; Reed, Stephanie 1 ; Burnett, Hannah 2 ; Barnes, Macee 2
SB: Nicoletti, Gianna 2 ; Burnett, Hannah 1 ; Barnes, Macee 1
HBP: Reed, Stephanie 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
2
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
3
Players Mentioned
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P/UTL
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C/INF
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OF
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OF
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P/UTL
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