Clutch home runs keep GCU undefeated

Friday, February 17

Phoenix, Ariz.

4 p.m.

Grand Canyon

6-0

DePaul

4-2

DePaul

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Garrett Ohrenberg

2/17/2023 6:06:00 PM | Softball, Paul Coro

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Lopes go 7-0 with wins over DePaul, Illinois State on Opening Night

The Grand Canyon softball team matched its best start in the Division I era by moving to 7-0 on Friday night, when the Lopes defeated DePaul 7-1 in the home opener with two Ramsay Lopez home runs and rallied against Illinois State in the Littlewood Classic nightcap for a 6-4 victory on Katelyn Dunckel's walk-off home run.

GCU 7, DePaul 1

GCU is enjoying life with Lopez, a senior, more than it did when the Lopes had to face the slugger in previous seasons.

Lopez, an All-WAC player who transferred from New Mexico State, hammered home runs in her first two at bats as a Lope in GCU Softball Stadium, where GCU defeated DePaul 7-1 on Friday night.

After going without hitting a home run during fall ball and the Lopes' first five games, Lopez added career home runs Nos. 38 and 39 to spot her new team a 4-0 lead through three innings.

In the first inning, Lopez crushed a high-arching,two-out home run to left field after a line-drive double to left by Dunckel,

The GCU first baseman pushed the lead to 4-0 in the third inning with an opposite-field line drive that scored senior third baseman Madison Schaefer, who had walked.

"In the fall, I kind of struggled, but to finally be able to come through felt really good," Lopez said. "It feels good that I'm supposed to be here. That's really set in stone for me.

"I had this pressure that I wasn't showing what I can do for the team, but now I feel like I showed up."

The run support was all that was necessary for Lopes senior pitcher Ariel Thompson, who matched her GCU career high of nine strikeouts in a four-hit complete game. Thompson (2-0) has allowed eight hits in 14 1/3 innings this season with 16 strikeouts.

The right-hander stranded runners in scoring position twice and picked up some defensive gems with senior second baseman Macee Barnes' diving catch on a fourth-inning, leadoff line drive and sophomore first baseman Lovey Kepa'a's scoop on a ground-out throw in the sixth inning.

GCU added its last three runs in the fourth inning, when senior center fielder Hannah Burnett led off with an infield single and stole second before Barnes laid a perfect bunt. The Lopes pushed it to 5-0 on a wild pitch before Dunckel walked on four pitches and stole second base, setting up Schaefer to send a 1-2 pitch to center field for a 7-0 lead.

Lopez wound up reaching base in all three plate appearance for the second consecutive game.

"I felt a lot more relaxed," Lopez said. "I loved being able to play at home. It's a way bigger school with a lot of things to do, and the team has really good chemistry. I don't have to put a lot of pressure on myself because we have really good hitters on our team."

GCU 6, Illinois State 4

The Lopes posted their first come-from-behind victory of the season, trailing 4-2 in the sixth inning before battling back to win 6-4 over Illinois State with Dunckel's walk-off, two-run homer.

Down 2-0 in the third, GCU began to chip away at the Redbirds lead when senior center fielder Hannah Burnett singled to the shortstop and managed to advance to second on an Illinois State wild pitch. With Burnett in scoring position, senior right fielder Kristin Fifield singled up the middle, and made it to second base on a bad throw, allowing Burnett to give the Lopes their first run of the game.

As Illinois State strung together two additional runs in the top of the fourth, the Lopes found themselves in an uphill battle until they got even in the bottom of the sixth.

Burnett got busy on the bases, stealing second and third base, after walking to first, and coming home with a sacrifice fly by senior second baseman Macee Barnes.

With a strong defensive presence in the top of the sixth, the Lopes held the Redbirds at four, and were able tie it up when junior left fielder Kayla Rodgers finished her 5-for-6 day by batting singling up the middle to score senior third baseman Madison Schaefer and freshman pinch-runner Brynn-Jordan Smythe.

Tensions were high with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but the Lopes found new life when Fifield shot a line drive down the right-field line for a double. Fifield stole third with Dunckel in the batter's box, anxiously awaiting the opportunity to bring home the winning run.

In a picture-perfect moment, Dunckel sent a 3-1 pitch over the wall, scoring the winning runs for the Lopes with her second home run in the past three games.