GCU co-hosts weekend tournament with ASU

Friday, March 3

Phoenix, Ariz.

4 p.m.

Grand Canyon

Michigan State

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3/1/2023 3:23:00 PM | Softball

GCU/ASU Classic features No.12 Washington, Michigan State, Boise State, New Mexico, Charlotte

By: Adrianna Candelaria

GCU/ASU Classic \| March 3-5, 2023 \| GCU Softball Stadium \| Phoenix, Ariz.

	GRAND CANYON LOPES (16-1)	vs.	MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS (6-8)
			BOISE STATE BRONCOS (7-7)
			NEW MEXICO LOBOS (6-9)
			CHARLOTTE 49ERS (9-4)
			#12 WASHINGTON HUSKIES (13-3)

WATCH: ESPN+ | STATS: View

The Grand Canyon softball team co-hosts the GCU/ASU Classic, opening Friday against Michigan State and Boise State, facing New Mexico and Charlotte on Saturday and taking on No.12 Washington on Sunday.

THREE THINGS TO KNOW

The Lopes improved to 16-1 this week, going 5-0 against Utah State (5-0), Montana (8-0, 7-3) and South Dakota (14-6, 10-3), and shutting out CSU Bakersfield twice in five innings during Tuesday's doubleheader (8-0, 8-0).
Junior and sophomore pitchers Hailey Hudson and Meghan Golden threw the first back to back no-hitters in GCU's Division I history on Tuesday night; Hudson and Golden combined for 19 strikeouts in the Lopes' CSU Bakersfield sweep. With sophomore Emily Darwin's perfect game on Feb. 11, GCU has now recorded three no-hitters this month.
As a team, the Lopes currently rank No.4 in win/loss percentage (.941), No.5 in shutouts (7), No.9 in ERA (1.41), No.10 in fielding percentage (.985), No.10 in on base percentage (.454), and No.10 in walks (65) in the NCAA this season; individually, senior right fielder Kristin Fifield sits No.2 in RBIs (27) and No.3 in RBIs per game (1.80), senior third baseman Hannah Burnett ranks thrid in runs per game (1.47), Hudson sits No.5 in shutouts (3), junior left fielder Kayla Rodgers ranks No.7 in on base percentage (.630), and junior short stop Katelyn Dunckel sits No.7 in runs per game (.630).

SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE

The Spartans enter the GCU/ASU Classic 6-8 after after most recently posting a 1-4 record at the USF Tournament last weekend (7-1 win vs UIC, 0-13 5 inning loss vs. No.6 Tennessee, 1-6 loss vs South Florida, and two losses (1-4, 0-8 5 inning) to No.4 Clemson.
Junior pitcher Ashley Miller ranks No.8 in innings pitched (52), and No.10 in strikeouts (65) in the NCAA this season.
Michigan State is led by senior outfielder Brooke Snyder (.400 avg.), Miller (2.69 ERA ) and freshman outfielder Mandy Esman (10 RBIs).

SCOUTING BOISE STATE

The Broncos enter the GCU/ASU Classic 7-7 after most recently going 1-4 at the Stanford Invitational last weekend, featuring a split with Michigan (W 4-2, L 1-2) and losses to No.8 Stanford (0-4, 2-4).
Boise State currently bats .278 and has a team ERA of 5.65; the Broncos are led by sophomore outfielder Mykenzie Hanna (.393 avg), junior pitcher Taylor Caudill (4.53 ERA), and junior outfielder Jordyn Hutchins (14 RBIs).
GCU and Boise State played twice in 2019, with Boise State coming out on top in both occasions (10-6, 8-0 6 innings).

SCOUTING NEW MEXICO

The Lobos enter the GCU/ASU Classic 6-9 after most recently recording a 1-4 effort last weekend at the Troy Cox Classic. New Mexico beat Creighton 4-0, lost 1-12 to No.4 Oklahoma State, fell 0-15 and 0-1 to Nebraska, and lost to WAC affiliate New Mexico State 6-7. Earlier this season, the Lobos swept CSU Bakersfield 8-2 and 10-3, and split with Oregon State including 0-2 loss and an 8-0 five inning shut out.
Redshirt junior infielder Rachael Hathoot ranks third in the NCAA this season in triples (3).
As a team, the Lobos bat .286 and have a team ERA of 5.57; New Mexico is led by Olivia Birkinshaw (.455 avg), Jenna Trim (3.50 ERA), and Maddie Boldt (13 RBIs).

SCOUTING CHARLOTTE

The 49ers come to Phoenix 9-4, after most recently beating Boston 11-1, Kent State 7-3, and Georgia Tech 10-0, but falling to Penn State 0-3 last weekend at the Queen City Classic.
As a team, Charlotte bats .274 and a has an ERA of 2.12; The 49ers are led by Kassidy Krupit (.400 avg, 14 RBIs) and Lena Elkins (1.37 ERA).
GCU and Charlotte carry a 1-1 historical record, previously meeting twice in 2019; in a home doubleheader on Feb. 7, GCU beat Charlotte 4-3 in the first game, but fell 6-5 in the second.

SCOUTING WASHINGTON

The No.12 Huskies enter the GCU/ASU Classic 13-3 after most recently posting a 4-1 record at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic; Washington beat Bethune-Cookman 16-0 in five innings, Long Beach State 11-0 in six, UC San Diego 7-0, and San Diego State 5-0, falling only to No.16 Kentucky 3-11 in eight innings.
Washington ranks No.3 in shutouts (8) and No.4 in walks (70), as a team, in the NCAA this season; individually, fifth-year outfielder Madison Huskey ranks No. 6 in RBIs (21) and No.7 in home runs (6), freshman pitcher Ruby Meylan sits No.2 in shutouts (4) and No.10 in strikeouts (65), but fifth-year infielder Baylee Klinger ranks No.1 in the NCAA for toughest to strike out (55).
As a team, the Huskies bat .312 and have a 1.82 ERA; Washington is led by freshman catcher Sydney Stewart (.429 avg), Meylan (.61 ERA), and Huskey (21 RBIs).

LAST TIME OUT

GCU vs. CSU Bakersfield

Junior and sophomore pitchers Hailey Hudson and Meghan Golden threw the first back to back no-hitters in GCU's Division I history on Tuesday night
GCU tallied 22 hits, 16 RBIs, four doubles and three home runs offensively; in 10 innings pitched, Hudson and Golden combined for 125 pitches, 19 strikeouts, eight ground outs, three fly outs, and one walk.