Purple Classic produces 2nd run-rule win in 2 nights

Friday, March 7

Phoenix, Ariz.

7:30 p.m.

Grand Canyon

18-3

Penn

1-7

Penn

Grand Canyon

Photo by: Brayden Stenner

3/7/2025 11:11:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Cooper, Gonzalez homer to support Batterton's no earned runs

Grand Canyon's Friday night game got off to a late start, but the Lopes made it another early ending with their second run-rule victory in two Purple Classic games at GCU Softball Stadium.

The Lopes used home runs by freshman Jada Coooper and junior Emily Gonzalez and stellar pitching from junior Taryn Batterton to defeat Penn 9-1 in a five-inning game.

With a 9 p.m. start, GCU (18-3) won its sixth consecutive game despite creating a 1-0 hole in the top of the first inning on an unearned run. Batterton bounced back for seven strikeouts in four innings, matching senior Meghan Golden's GCU season high for strikeouts in a game from the season's opening night.

The Lopes did not trail for long because Cooper continued her power surge. Following singles from sophomore second baseman Savannah Kirk and Gonalez, Cooper fouled off a 2-2 pitch before drilling the next one high over the left-field wall for a 3-1 lead. The first baseman from Houston has six home runs, including five in the past eight games, to tie graduate Makaiya Gomez for the team lead.

An inning later, Cooper pushed her season RBIs total to 23 by lining a one-out RBI single up the middle for a 5-1 lead. GCU had moved the lead to 4-1 when freshman right fielder Willa Ford led off with a hot single off the pitcher and scored when Gonzalez reached on an error.

Cooper's home run and RBI totals both rank eighth among all freshmen in the nation. She is also hitting .442, second on the team only to Kirk's .521 after Kirk went 2 for 2 with a walk and her 20th and 21st stolen bases of the season.

It was Kirk's four-pitch walk and steal in the fourth that set up Gonzalez's two-run home run, which went well over the center-field wall for a 7-1 lead. Even with a .370 batting average, Gonzalez posted her first consecutive multi-hit games with 2-for-3 performances on Thursday night and Friday night.

Another four-pitch walk to Cooper and graduate left fielder Mia Weckel reaching on an error set up GCU sophomore catcher Tinley Lucas' two-run single to the opposite field for a 9-1 lead.

Lopes senior pitcher Emily Darwin shut out Penn in the fifth inning to finish the victory, GCU's ninth run-rule win of the season.

The Lopes' Purple Classic continues with GCU playing San Diego at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in GCU Softball Stadium, where it will also play UNLV at 11:30 a.m. Sunday.