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
Saturday, February 17
Phoenix, Ariz.
4 p.m.
Grand Canyon
6-2
11
vs
2
Virginia Tech
6-2-1
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4
5
6
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H
E
Virginia Tech
0
0
0
1
1
0
2
6
1
Grand Canyon
0
0
7
1
0
3
11
11
1
Photo by: Wesley Kurz
Lopes run-rule No. 17 Virginia Tech, blank Redbirds
2/17/2024 9:21:00 PM | Softball
Fifield finishes Hokies with 2-run homer in 6th, Hudson pitches complete game
Grand Canyon upset No. 17 Virginia Tech in a 11-2 mercy-rule win with a game-ending, two-run home run by graduate first baseman Kristin Fifield in the sixth inning Saturday. The Lopes followed that with a complete-game shutout friom senior pitcher Hailey Hudson to beat Illinois State 1-0 at GCU Softball Stadium.
After a slow start, the Lopes hit the refresh button on offense in the third with a massive seven-run inning to score the most runs in a single inning since last year's Purple Classic, when the Lopes had a nine-run fifth inning to defeat South Dakota on Feb. 25.Â
Junior left fielder Makaiya Gomez led off with a home run to right center to start the Hokies' demise. A string of singles from junior third baseman Lovey Kepa'a, freshman second baseman Savannah Kirk and sophomore right fielder Brynn-Jordan Smythe followed, in addition to Ashley Trierweiler (center fielder) and Katelyn Dunckel (shortstop) walking to score an additional two runs. Fifield then hit Trierweiler home and reached on a fielder's choice before graduate designated player Ramsay Lopez slammed a three-run home run to left center to tally seven with two outs to spare.Â
The Lopes held the Hokies to six hits, including one solo home run on their only hit of the fourth inning, and another solo home run in the top of the fifth.Â
Trierweiler kept her hitting streak (now eight) alive with a single in the bottom of the fourth and eventually came home on a wild pitch.Â
GCU's dominant momentum continued into the sixth, retiring the Hokies in order, and ultimately scoring the final three runs on a Dunckel single through the right side to bring in Kirk and Fifield's game-ending home run to center field to clear the bases.Â
Lopes junior Meghan Golden, the WAC Preseason Co-Pitcher of the Year, improved to 1-0 in the circle by allowing six hits and one walk with three strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings before Hudson finished the job with 1 1/3 relief innings that included one strikeout.Â
Lopes shut out Redbirds Â
Riding a high from the previous upset over No. 17 Virginia Tech, the Lopes looked poised heading into their first inning against Illinois State.
Hudson doled out two strikeouts and forced a fly out to left field to take care of the Redbirds right away, and send GCU to the dugout. Leading off with a Trierweiler walk, advancement to second and eventual stolen third base, Dunckel smacked a single up the middle to score the Lopes first and only run.Â
GCU kept Illinois State off the bases in four innings and held the Redbirds to three hits on the night.Â
Hudson, now 1-1 on the season, faced 25 hitters, allowed one walk and tied her GCU career best of seven strikeouts while notching two assists.Â
The Lopes will conclude the Littlewood Classic on Sunday against Cal State Fullerton at 11:30 a.m. (Phoenix time).Â
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GCU upsets No. 17 Virginia TechÂ
The sun may have set during GCU's two-hour, 10-minute rendezvous with No. 17 Virginia Tech, but the Lopes' smiles were bright enough to light the stadium during the 11-2 run-rule affair.ÂAfter a slow start, the Lopes hit the refresh button on offense in the third with a massive seven-run inning to score the most runs in a single inning since last year's Purple Classic, when the Lopes had a nine-run fifth inning to defeat South Dakota on Feb. 25.Â
Junior left fielder Makaiya Gomez led off with a home run to right center to start the Hokies' demise. A string of singles from junior third baseman Lovey Kepa'a, freshman second baseman Savannah Kirk and sophomore right fielder Brynn-Jordan Smythe followed, in addition to Ashley Trierweiler (center fielder) and Katelyn Dunckel (shortstop) walking to score an additional two runs. Fifield then hit Trierweiler home and reached on a fielder's choice before graduate designated player Ramsay Lopez slammed a three-run home run to left center to tally seven with two outs to spare.Â
The Lopes held the Hokies to six hits, including one solo home run on their only hit of the fourth inning, and another solo home run in the top of the fifth.Â
Trierweiler kept her hitting streak (now eight) alive with a single in the bottom of the fourth and eventually came home on a wild pitch.Â
GCU's dominant momentum continued into the sixth, retiring the Hokies in order, and ultimately scoring the final three runs on a Dunckel single through the right side to bring in Kirk and Fifield's game-ending home run to center field to clear the bases.Â
Lopes junior Meghan Golden, the WAC Preseason Co-Pitcher of the Year, improved to 1-0 in the circle by allowing six hits and one walk with three strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings before Hudson finished the job with 1 1/3 relief innings that included one strikeout.Â
Lopes shut out Redbirds Â
Riding a high from the previous upset over No. 17 Virginia Tech, the Lopes looked poised heading into their first inning against Illinois State.
Hudson doled out two strikeouts and forced a fly out to left field to take care of the Redbirds right away, and send GCU to the dugout. Leading off with a Trierweiler walk, advancement to second and eventual stolen third base, Dunckel smacked a single up the middle to score the Lopes first and only run.Â
GCU kept Illinois State off the bases in four innings and held the Redbirds to three hits on the night.Â
Hudson, now 1-1 on the season, faced 25 hitters, allowed one walk and tied her GCU career best of seven strikeouts while notching two assists.Â
The Lopes will conclude the Littlewood Classic on Sunday against Cal State Fullerton at 11:30 a.m. (Phoenix time).Â
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Golden, Meghan (1-0)
L: Emma Lemley (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Addy Greene 1
HR: Addy Greene 1 ; Michelle Chatfield 1
RBI: Addy Greene 1 ; Michelle Chatfield 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Addy Greene 1 ; Michelle Chatfield 1
HBP: Rachel Castine 1
Batting:
HR: Fifield, Kristin 1 ; Lopez, Ramsay 1 ; Gomez, Makaiya 1
RBI: Dunckel, Katelyn 2 ; Fifield, Kristin 3 ; Lopez, Ramsay 3 ; Gomez, Makaiya 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Trierweiler, Ashley 2 ; Smythe, Brynn-Jordan 1 ; Dunckel, Katelyn 1 ; Fifield, Kristin 2 ; Lopez, Ramsay 1 ; Gomez, Makaiya 1 ; Wolsky, Haley 1 ; Kirk, Savannah 2
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
P
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
P
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballOF
/ SoftballOF
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