Completed Event: Softball at Arizona State on October 15, 2025 ,
Softball
at Arizona State
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Saturday, March 25
Phoenix, Ariz.
12 p.m.
Grand Canyon
28-5, 0
12
vs
0
Tarleton
18-16, 0
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Tarleton
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
Grand Canyon
4
1
2
5
X
12
11
0
Photo by: Garrett Ohrenberg
Big bats build season-best blowout
3/25/2023 3:25:00 PM | Softball, Paul Coro
Fifield ties GCU career home run record; Hudson's shutout notches 10th win
Grand Canyon softball put up staggering weekend statistics against Tarleton with a 1.47 staff ERA and .377 hitting, as Lopes batters reached base nearly half the time over three games.
But after letting the series' opening game slip away, the Lopes channeled the dominance into the series-deciding game on Saturday at GCU Softball Stadium. The Lopes run-ruled Tarleton 12-0 for their biggest blowout of the season and GCU's largest shutout victory since 2018.
"We finally took some good swings in good situations with a good approach," said Lopes head coach Shanon Hays, whose GCU teams have won nine of 10 WAC series in two seasons. "This is such a momentum sport and getting your mojo going at the right time is key."
Lopes junior pitcher Hailey Hudson moved to 10-0 by finding her February form, when she threw four complete-game shutouts. The right-hander posted another complete-game shutout Saturday with only five innings needed. That is because the offense did an about-face against Tarleton's Friday winning pitcher, Tristan Bridges.
GCU (28-5, 4-2 WAC) batted around in the first inning and capitalized on Bridges' control issues, getting full-count RBI singles from senior third baseman Madison Schaefer and senior second baseman Macee Barnes on the way to a 4-0 lead.
"We had a good approach and we made it tough on their pitcher," said Hays, whose team's .337 batting average ranks 10th nationally. "We didn't bail her out of tough situations."
The Lopes power piled on the scoring with senior designated player Ramsay Lopez crushing a two-out, first-pitch solo home run to left-center field in the second inning. Schaefer followed with a moonshot solo homer to left for a 6-0 lead in the third inning, when junior left fielder Kayla Rodgers ripped a first-pitch RBI double that scored Barnes for a 7-0 advantage on Tarleton (18-16, 3-3 WAC).
Lopez's blast marked her fourth home run in the past five games, putting her in the national top 15 for career home runs by an active Division I player (46, with 37 at New Mexico State and nine for GCU).
The power surge continued with senior right fielder Kristin Fifield tying the GCU career home run record with her 35th round-tripper in four Lopes seasons. Fifield fouled off two full-count pitches before driving a low pitch for a three-run home run to right field and a 10-0 lead.
"I had no idea," Fifield said of matching Randi Johns' 2006-09 record during GCU's Division II era. "That's probably why everyone is saying congratulations. I feel like the last person to know.
"This team is just incredible. We all have the drive to win. We all have the same mindset and are ready to rock and roll. All their support and my family's support has been such a big thing for me. I'm trying to stay as consistent as I can for them."
Fifield moved into a tie for the national RBI lead after consecutive three-RBI games pushed her season total to 52. The El Paso, Texas, native also broke the Lopes' Division I-era record for career RBIs this weekend with 152 and is tied for fifth nationally in home runs this season with 12.
"She's been consistent and taken good swings," Hays said. "It's nice to have a lefty bat in your lineup like her. She's capitalizing on situations and driving in runs like crazy."
Hudson tossed her first complete game since throwing a no-hitter against CSU Bakersfield on Feb. 28. She allowed four hits and a walk but never allowed a Texan to get into scoring position with less than two outs.
The effort knocked the College Station, Texas, native's season ERA down to 1.11, which ranks 15th nationally.
"I got it back mid-week in practice, and it was such a relief to finally have my stuff," Hudson said. "I was falling back on my pitch and losing velo. I needed to stay on my legs and stay stacked, so I just kept saying that to myself and it worked."
The GCU offense reasserted why it entered the weekend with the nation's 14th-best team batting average, which increased to .337, and the 12th-best scoring average, which stayed at 6.8 runs per game.
The Lopes' batting order was blanketed with strong hitting series, featuring:
GCU will play its next seven games on the road with weekend WAC series at New Mexico State and Utah Valley and an April 11 game at Arizona State before returning home for an April 14-15 series against Utah Tech.
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But after letting the series' opening game slip away, the Lopes channeled the dominance into the series-deciding game on Saturday at GCU Softball Stadium. The Lopes run-ruled Tarleton 12-0 for their biggest blowout of the season and GCU's largest shutout victory since 2018.
"We finally took some good swings in good situations with a good approach," said Lopes head coach Shanon Hays, whose GCU teams have won nine of 10 WAC series in two seasons. "This is such a momentum sport and getting your mojo going at the right time is key."
Lopes junior pitcher Hailey Hudson moved to 10-0 by finding her February form, when she threw four complete-game shutouts. The right-hander posted another complete-game shutout Saturday with only five innings needed. That is because the offense did an about-face against Tarleton's Friday winning pitcher, Tristan Bridges.
GCU (28-5, 4-2 WAC) batted around in the first inning and capitalized on Bridges' control issues, getting full-count RBI singles from senior third baseman Madison Schaefer and senior second baseman Macee Barnes on the way to a 4-0 lead."We had a good approach and we made it tough on their pitcher," said Hays, whose team's .337 batting average ranks 10th nationally. "We didn't bail her out of tough situations."
The Lopes power piled on the scoring with senior designated player Ramsay Lopez crushing a two-out, first-pitch solo home run to left-center field in the second inning. Schaefer followed with a moonshot solo homer to left for a 6-0 lead in the third inning, when junior left fielder Kayla Rodgers ripped a first-pitch RBI double that scored Barnes for a 7-0 advantage on Tarleton (18-16, 3-3 WAC).
Lopez's blast marked her fourth home run in the past five games, putting her in the national top 15 for career home runs by an active Division I player (46, with 37 at New Mexico State and nine for GCU).
The power surge continued with senior right fielder Kristin Fifield tying the GCU career home run record with her 35th round-tripper in four Lopes seasons. Fifield fouled off two full-count pitches before driving a low pitch for a three-run home run to right field and a 10-0 lead.
"I had no idea," Fifield said of matching Randi Johns' 2006-09 record during GCU's Division II era. "That's probably why everyone is saying congratulations. I feel like the last person to know.
"This team is just incredible. We all have the drive to win. We all have the same mindset and are ready to rock and roll. All their support and my family's support has been such a big thing for me. I'm trying to stay as consistent as I can for them."
Fifield moved into a tie for the national RBI lead after consecutive three-RBI games pushed her season total to 52. The El Paso, Texas, native also broke the Lopes' Division I-era record for career RBIs this weekend with 152 and is tied for fifth nationally in home runs this season with 12.
"She's been consistent and taken good swings," Hays said. "It's nice to have a lefty bat in your lineup like her. She's capitalizing on situations and driving in runs like crazy."
Hudson tossed her first complete game since throwing a no-hitter against CSU Bakersfield on Feb. 28. She allowed four hits and a walk but never allowed a Texan to get into scoring position with less than two outs.The effort knocked the College Station, Texas, native's season ERA down to 1.11, which ranks 15th nationally.
"I got it back mid-week in practice, and it was such a relief to finally have my stuff," Hudson said. "I was falling back on my pitch and losing velo. I needed to stay on my legs and stay stacked, so I just kept saying that to myself and it worked."
The GCU offense reasserted why it entered the weekend with the nation's 14th-best team batting average, which increased to .337, and the 12th-best scoring average, which stayed at 6.8 runs per game.
The Lopes' batting order was blanketed with strong hitting series, featuring:
- Lopez, 5 for 7
- Barnes, 4 for 7
- Rodgers, 4 for 9
- senior catcher Kinsey Koeltzow, 4 for 7
- senior shortstop Katelyn Dunckel, 3 for 7
- senior center fielder Hannah Burnett, 3 for 9
GCU will play its next seven games on the road with weekend WAC series at New Mexico State and Utah Valley and an April 11 game at Arizona State before returning home for an April 14-15 series against Utah Tech.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hudson, Hailey (10-0)
L: Bridges, Tristan (5-8)
Batting:
2B: Burnett, Hannah 1 ; Rodgers, Kayla 1
HR: Lopez, Ramsay 1 ; Fifield, Kristin 1 ; Schaefer, Madison 1
RBI: Wong, CC 1 ; Lopez, Ramsay 1 ; Fifield, Kristin 3 ; Koeltzow, Kinsey 1 ; Schaefer, Madison 2 ; Barnes, Macee 2 ; Rodgers, Kayla 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Burnett, Hannah 2 ; Lopez, Ramsay 2 ; Lutu, Leinani 1 ; Fifield, Kristin 2 ; Koeltzow, Kinsey 1 ; Rodrigues, Emma 1 ; Schaefer, Madison 2 ; Barnes, Macee 1
SB: Burnett, Hannah 1
HBP: Koeltzow, Kinsey 1
Game Leaders
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
ss/pr
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballIF
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