Batterton's no-hitter highlights Lopes' night

Friday, February 7

Phoenix, Ariz.

5 p.m.

Grand Canyon

3-0

Colgate

0-2

Colgate

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Nate Cochran

2/7/2025 11:00:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GCU junior becomes 9th player in program to throw no-hitter

By: Braden Dohrmann

Grand Canyon witnessed history in the circle and dropped its first game of the season, all in one night.

Lopes junior right-handed pitcher Taryn Batterton made her first start since returning to GCU after a one-year stint at McLennan Community College in Texas. Batterton gained plenty of experience going 15-3 with a 1.82 ERA over 102 1/3 innings, and it showed Friday night at GCU Softball Stadium when she tossed the Lopes' ninth no-hitter in history for a five-inning, 8-0 win by run rule.

"I give all the glory to God," Batterton said. "I am proud of my journey and how hard I worked to get back to this moment."

Batterton's no-no was GCU's first since February of 2023, when teammate Meghan Golden threw a five-inning no-hitter against CSU Bakersfield.

Game 1: GCU 8, Colgate 0 (5 innings)

The Lopes took their first run-rule victory of the season in 8-0 fashion with nine hits backing Batterton against Colgate.

After a scoreless first inning, GCU struck for four runs in the second. With runners on first and second, Lopes sophomore shortstop Mackenzie Nolan laced a line drive into center field for a single. After a misplay from the Colgate centerfielder, both runners scored for a 2-0 lead.

That lead was stretched to 3-0 when leadoff hitter Savannah Kirk singled to score Nolan. Kirk followed up two 3-for-4 games Thursday night with a two-hit performance vs. the Raiders. The Preseason WAC Player of the Year also scored twice and stole three bases.

Graduate right fielder MIa Weckel closed the second-inning scoring with a two-out double to right-center field to score Kirk for a 4-0 Lopes lead.

In the third inning, GCU senior third baseman Lovey Kepa'a was hit by pitch. Pinch runner Briah Williams then took second via stolen base. Freshman counterpart Jada Cooper then ripped one down the left-field line for a stand-up RBI double that put GCU ahead 5-0.

The bottom of the fourth inning brought the Lopes to an 8-0 advantage after graduate left fielder Makaiya Gomez left the park for the third time in as many games, with a two-run shot to right center field. Gomez has four hits on the year, with three of them dingers.

Of course, the story of the night was on the pitching end. Batterton faced just 16 batters, walking one in the second inning and then retiring 11 in a row. Her final batter battled to a full count before the Latta, Oklahoma, native struck her out swinging for her fifth strikeout and a piece of GCU history.

Game 2: Wichita State 4, GCU 1

The Lopes fell 4-1 to Wichita State in the Friday nightcap. The bats had troubles against Wichita State starting pitcher Chloe Barber, who threw a four-hit complete game with GCU's only run being unearned.

Wichita State (2-0), projected by many media outlets as an NCAA tournament team, relied on its pitching and defense. GCU (3-1) was kept in the yard for the first time all season after hitting six home runs in its first three games..

The Shockers put runners all over the basepaths throughout the night, hitting paydirt in the second inning with a two-out, two-RBI single up the middle from leadoff batter Ellee Eck.

The Lopes answered in the third when the nine-hole hitter Sydney McCray doubled for the Lopes' first hit. The junior center fielder scored when the Wichita State shortstop overthrew third base trying to get McCray on a Kirk ground ball. McCray jumped up from her slide and made it home without a throw.

Another Shockers two-RBI single in the fifth provided a cushion as GCU used four pitchers. Emily Darwin and Alina Satcher kept Wichita State at bay the final 2 2/3 innings, including Satcher escaping a one-out, bases-loaded situation unscathed.

The Lopes will return to action Saturday night at 5 p.m. (Phoenix time) when they host Montana. The Grizzlies went 1-1 in Friday's action, beating Colgate and losing to Northern Illinois.