Upcoming Event: Softball versus Pima CC on September 30, 2025 at 6 p.m.
Softball
6 p.m.
vs Pima CC
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Sunday, February 26
Phoenix, Ariz.
12 p.m.
Grand Canyon
14-1
10
vs
3
South Dakota
5-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
South Dakota
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
3
6
2
Grand Canyon
0
0
3
2
0
5
X
10
13
0
Undefeated weekend ends with win vs. South Dakota
2/26/2023 3:29:00 PM | Softball
GCU answers 3-0 hole with 10 unanswered runs, move to 14-1 record
The Grand Canyon softball team outscored South Dakota 10-3 on Sunday,capping a 5-0 Purple Classic weekend that moved the Lopes to 14-1 this season.
GCU's 13-hit attack was led by senior shortstop Katelyn Dunckel, who went 4 for 4 with a triple and a home run for six RBIs, while senior third baseman Hannah Burnett and senior second baseman Macee Barnes each scored three times. Senior ace Ariel Thompson struck out six batters in six innings, allowing five hits, for her fourth win this season.
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After a strong defensive inning by both teams, the Coyotes cranked two home runs for a 3-0 lead n the top of the second, Thompson ended the inning with two consecutive strikeouts, recording all three outs on the inning herself, and South Dakota did not score again.
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Lopes freshman center fielder Brynn-Jordan Smythe led off the bottom of the third with a single to shortstop that was followed by a single to right field by Barnes. Burnett then reached first on a fielder's choice, taking Smythe out of commission, before Dunckel hit her fourth home run of the season to center field and evened the score at 3-3.Â
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Thompson drew a quick-swinging strikeout, fly out and a ground out to put her team back at the plate in the bottom of the fourth, when Barnes singled to left, Burnett reached on an error, and Dunckel smacked a triple to left center for a 5-3 lead.
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After a quiet fifth inning and a three-and-out top of the sixth, the Lopes turned it on to knock out South Dakota with five unanswered runs.
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With Smythe and Barnes on base, Burnett singled to shortstop, sending Smythe home for a 6-3 lead. Dunckel came up clutch again with single to left field for her sixth RBI, scoring Barnes to extend the lead to 7-3.
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Senior right fielder Kristin Fifield singled to right field, sending Dunckel and Burnett home to give her a team-leading 27 RBIs in 15 games. Junior designated player CC Wong finished off GCU's scoring with a RBI double to right center.
GCU next plays a Tuesday doubleheader against CSU Bakersfield, starting at 5 p.m. at GCU Softball Stadium.
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GCU's 13-hit attack was led by senior shortstop Katelyn Dunckel, who went 4 for 4 with a triple and a home run for six RBIs, while senior third baseman Hannah Burnett and senior second baseman Macee Barnes each scored three times. Senior ace Ariel Thompson struck out six batters in six innings, allowing five hits, for her fourth win this season.
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After a strong defensive inning by both teams, the Coyotes cranked two home runs for a 3-0 lead n the top of the second, Thompson ended the inning with two consecutive strikeouts, recording all three outs on the inning herself, and South Dakota did not score again.
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Lopes freshman center fielder Brynn-Jordan Smythe led off the bottom of the third with a single to shortstop that was followed by a single to right field by Barnes. Burnett then reached first on a fielder's choice, taking Smythe out of commission, before Dunckel hit her fourth home run of the season to center field and evened the score at 3-3.Â
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Thompson drew a quick-swinging strikeout, fly out and a ground out to put her team back at the plate in the bottom of the fourth, when Barnes singled to left, Burnett reached on an error, and Dunckel smacked a triple to left center for a 5-3 lead.
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After a quiet fifth inning and a three-and-out top of the sixth, the Lopes turned it on to knock out South Dakota with five unanswered runs.
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With Smythe and Barnes on base, Burnett singled to shortstop, sending Smythe home for a 6-3 lead. Dunckel came up clutch again with single to left field for her sixth RBI, scoring Barnes to extend the lead to 7-3.
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Senior right fielder Kristin Fifield singled to right field, sending Dunckel and Burnett home to give her a team-leading 27 RBIs in 15 games. Junior designated player CC Wong finished off GCU's scoring with a RBI double to right center.
GCU next plays a Tuesday doubleheader against CSU Bakersfield, starting at 5 p.m. at GCU Softball Stadium.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Thompson, Ariel (4-1)
L: Clara Edwards (2-4)
Batting:
2B: Alexia Terrazas 1
HR: Aleesia Sainz 1 ; Jordyn Pender 1
RBI: Aleesia Sainz 1 ; Jordyn Pender 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Aleesia Sainz 1 ; Gabby Moser 1 ; Jordyn Pender 1
Batting:
2B: Wong, CC 1
3B: Dunckel, Katelyn 1
HR: Dunckel, Katelyn 1
RBI: Burnett, Hannah 1 ; Dunckel, Katelyn 6 ; Fifield, Kristin 2 ; Wong, CC 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Burnett, Hannah 3 ; Dunckel, Katelyn 2 ; Fifield, Kristin 1 ; Smythe, Brynn-Jordan 1 ; Barnes, Macee 3
SB: Rodgers, Kayla 1 ; Smythe, Brynn-Jordan 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
2
H
4
RBI
6
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
3
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
UTIL
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
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