Lopes win pitching duel, move to 29-0

Saturday, March 14

Albuquerque, N.M.

1 p.m.

Grand Canyon

29-0, 0

New Mexico

12-15, 0

Grand Canyon

New Mexico

Photo by: Braden Dohrmann

3/14/2026 4:36:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

No. 23 GCU becomes nation's lone undefeated team after Tennessee, Alabama losses

By: Braden Dohrmann

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – No. 23 Grand Canyon came out on top in a pitchers' duel Saturday at New Mexico, winning 4-1 behind two-run fourth and fifth innings and clinching its first Mountain West series.

At 29-0, GCU is the only undefeated team in the nation, riding the best start in conference and program history.

GCU sophomore left-hander Oakley Vickers led the way in the circle, going four innings with just one run allowed and six strikeouts. She improved on her conference-best record, moving to 9-0 to start the season.

Freshman right-hander Abi Jones, who has moved into a go-to relief role for GCU in recent weeks, finished the final three innings in the circle. She only allowing three base runners and struck out four to earn her career's first save.

Averaging eight hits per game coming into the series, the Lopes added another eight knocks in Game 2 of the three-game series. Sophomore designated player Jada Cooper was the one player in the lineup with multiple hits, homering on the first pitch of the fourth inning to break a 0-0 tie. Just a day after hammering a ball to deep right center that was caught at the warning track, Cooper no doubt about her team-best seventh home run leaving the yard.

The blast got the bats going, as freshman right fielder Addison Shifflett got on with an infield single, moved to third on a wild pitch and ground ball, and scored on a sacrifice fly from graduate left fielder Trinity Martin.

GCU added two more runs in the fifth, thanks to a common recipe for success this season: Senior center fielder Sydney McCray's single and steal was followed by freshman second baseman Raegan Holtorf's RBI single. Holtorf moved to second on the throw home, putting her in line to score standing up a couple batter later. Shifflett hammered a hard ground ball to first base, proving to be too hot to handle. The ball made it down the right-field line, scoring Holtorf and bringing Shifflett to second base.

Seven of the nine Lopes starters earned a hit Saturday, with McCray moving her hit streak to five games.

Scores around the country were noteworthy for the Lopes as well, as the other remaining undefeated teams in the country alongside Grand Canyon, both fell in their SEC matchups Tennessee dropped a 1-0 ball game at Mississippi State, while Alabama lost at home to top-10 Arkansas.

Grand Canyon and New Mexico wrap up their opening series of Mountain West play on Sunday at 9 a.m. (Phoenix time). The game was moved up two hours to avoid expected wind gusts of up to 30 mph Sunday morning in Albuquerque.