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
Tuesday, April 18
Tempe, Ariz.
6 p.m.
Grand Canyon
at
Arizona State
Season heat rises with Arizona temperatures
4/17/2023 4:57:00 PM | Softball
GCU plays at Arizona State before Arizona, Seattle U at home this week
Tuesday, April 18 at Arizona State (6 p.m.)  | Wednesday, April 19 vs. Arizona (6 p.m.)
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GRAND CANYON
LOPES (33-9, 9-6 WAC)
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ARIZONA STATE
SUN DEVILS (21-16)
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ARIZONA
WILDCATS (24-18)
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SEATTLE U
REDHAWKS (27-14, 8-7 WAC)
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3 THINGS TO KNOW
- Wednesday is Thunder Country Night at GCU Softball Stadium, featuring a Scotty McCreery concert ticket giveaway, in addition to free hotdogs and GCU bandanas for the first 250 students in attendance.Â
- The Lopes rank 78th nationally, the highest NCAA Ratings Percentage Index in the WAC, with Utah Tech second at 88 and Stephen F. Austin third at No. 116.Â
- GCU holds seven top-20 national rankings and leads the WAC in 11 fields.Â
SCOUTING ARIZONA STATE
- ASU ranks 43rd in the NCAA, directly behind Arizona, and ranks 12th in home runs per game (1.32), its only team category in the top 20.Â
- The Sun Devils are hitting .274 and are led by graduate outfielder Yannixa Acuña (.407). ASU has outscored its opponent 179-152.
- ASU's bullpen has a 3.47 ERA and is led by sophomore pitcher Kenzie Brown with a 2.87 ERA through 68 1/3 innings.
SCOUTING ARIZONA
- Arizona is coming off two consecutive series losses, after being swept by No. 2 UCLA and No. 4 Stanford.Â
- Arizona and GCU have shared several opponents this season, including CSU Bakersfield, New Mexico State, No.13 Washington and San Diego. Both teams run-ruled Bakersfield, beat San Diego and lost to Washington. However, Arizona run-ruled NMSU twice while GCU dropped a WAC series to the Aggies. Arizona also beat ASU in a three-game series.Â
- The Wildcats hold six top-20 national rankings, including fourth in batting average (.342), fourth in fielding percentage (.982)Â and fifth in scoring (7.2 runs per game).Â
SCOUTING SEATTLE U
- Seattle U is tied for third in the WAC standings with Tarleton at 8-7 after losing to Tarleton and Utah Tech and beating Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston and Southern Utah.Â
- The Redhakws are led offensively by Jocelyn De La Cruz (.385 avg, 44 RBIs), and are led in the circle by Naomi Chaidez (2.85 ERA).
- GCU carries a 17-13 record against Seattle U, sweeping their most recent series last season in Seattle.Â
LAST TIME OUT
GCU vs Utah Tech
- GCU swept its first doubleheader of the WAC season with two walk-off home runs by junior shortstop Katelyn Dunckel and senior catcher Annie Villalobos, winning the series against Utah Tech to solidify a 9-6 record to tie for second place in the conference standings with SFA and CBU.Â
- Senior right fielder Kristin Fifield broke the GCU all-time career home run record (36) and tied the single-season home run record (14) for the second time in her career.Â
WHAT'S NEXT?
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GCU travels to California for a midweek rematch against San Diego on Wednesday, April 26, and will stick around to play a conference series versus CBU on April 28-29.
Players Mentioned
New Hardware Install | Softball
Friday, August 08
Alexis Soto | on her Christian Faith
Monday, July 07
Briah Williams | Christian Faith
Monday, July 07
Alexis Soto | Ephesians 3:20
Monday, July 07