Completed Event: Softball at New Mexico on March 15, 2026 , Win , 8, to, 0 , (5 inn.)
Softball
at New Mexico
W 8-0
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Sunday, March 22
Phoenix, Ariz.
11 a.m.
Grand Canyon
33-1, 6-0
10
vs
4
San José State
10-19, 2-4
1st innning1
2nd innning2
3rd innning3
4th innning4
5th innning5
6th innning6
7th innning7
RunsR
HitsH
ErrorsE
San Jose State
1
2
1
0
0
0
0
4
5
0
Grand Canyon
3
0
0
0
1
6
X
10
10
0
Photo by: David Kadlubowski
More rallying, Martin power sweeps San José State
3/22/2026 3:44:00 PM | Softball, Paul Coro
GCU's 6-run 6th puts record at 33-1, 6-0 in conference
A softball team does not collect the most wins in the nation by only racking up shutouts and wire-to-wire wins.
The Lopes are 33-1 with many of those types of victories, but they also have proven resilient to rally. They notched their fifth comeback win this month to finish a sweep of San José State on Sunday at GCU Softball Stadium.
GCU trailed 4-3 until tying the game in bottom of the fifth inning and using another offensive breakout, a six-run sixth, to run away with a 10-4 victory. The Lopes are 6-0 in Mountain West play to take a two-game lead on second-place Nevada.
"Those are the games that are easy to lose, especially in a good conference like this," GCU head coach Shanon Hays said. "You find a way to give them the momentum, and it was nice to grab it back."
San José State looked like it would have no chance to beat the Lopes if it could not get GCU graduate left fielder Trinity Martin out this weekend.
After a pair of 3-for-3 games to help the series' first two wins, Martin lined the first pitch she saw Sunday for a three-run home run just over the left-field wall. It was her fourth home run of the weekend and her third consecutive three-RBI game to bury a 3-for-22 slump.
After Martin alternated between home runs and singles for the weekend, the Spartans pitched eight consecutive balls to her Sunday after her home run. Martin is hitting .288 with eight home runs, 26 RBIs and 16 walks this season after hitting .259 with five home runs, 15 RBIs and nine walks last season at Virginia Tech.
Her confidence is showing with first-pitch hits on five of her past eight hits. This weekend, six of her seven hits produced runs while the other was a leadoff hit.
"I felt more comfortable this weekend than I have in a long time, confidently and physically," said Martin, a native of Nathalie, Virginia. "I'm just seeing pitches well and swinging the bat well. It's definitely been building up. The coaches have been keeping it in my head that I've been having good swings, so I've just been trusting to keep that swing and not focus on the outcomes.
"I couldn't be happier with my outcomes, good or bad, because my mindset at the plate right now is top tier. I'm a hard person to beat in the box. I was when I got here, and it's just got better with (Hays and assistant coach Hunter Hays)."
But even a career weekend for Martin could not solely sweep the Spartans, who hit three home runs in the first three innings off GCU sophomore Natalie Fritz and freshman Abi Jones.
Lopes senior right-hander Taryn Batterton entered for two shutout innings before sophomore left-hander Oakley Vickers made her 12th appearance in the past 13 games to keep the game at 4-4 through 5 1/2 innings.
GCU had tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning with a two-out rally that started with Martin and junior first baseman Alina Satcher drawing walks. Junior third baseman Mackenzie Nolan cashed in the opportunity with an infield single that San José State second baseman Reina Zermono, who hit two home runs Sunday, dived to stop. But she could not get up in time to throw Martin out at home.
The sixth inning opened with sophomore Ellie Pond pinch-hitting, and it went so well after she roped a leadoff single that she came up again in the inning. Pond smacked her first double of the season into the left-field corner to score two runs and make the lead 10-4.
"I try to go in the cages and stay warm in case that moment does happen," said Pond, a Providence, Utah, native who is batting .313 after transferring from Salt Lake City Community College.
"We have a lot of trust in each other. We all support each other, and we all have a lot of fun. That helps us win a lot of games. That helps us get the momentum and the courage from our teammates."
Pond's leadoff single was backed up by senior center fielder Sydney McCray beating out a hit-and-run drag to the first baseman and freshman second baseman Raegan Holtforf's sacrifice bunt.
"I was frustrated the whole game, and then we pinch-hit Ellie Pond and she got us going," Hays said. "Then, we executed some. Syd had a really good hit-and-run play, and then the game went our way when Raegan got that bunt down to move them over. The game was set up."
One of GCU's clutchest hitters, senior designated player Emily Gonzalez, pulled a single to left field for two runs, her 23rd and 24th RBIs of the season, and a 6-4 lead.
"She shortened up and hit a line drive like you expect her to do," Hays said of Gonzalez, who has 104 career RBIs.
That might have been enough, but the Spartans set up the Lopes for more with two hit batsmen and two RBI walks before Pond's two-run double.
Vickers picked up her team-leading 10th win for 2/3 of an inning, and GCU used its fifth pitcher with senior Maggie Place recording the final two outs.
The Lopes posted consecutive double-digit scoring games for the first time this season and needed a scoring outburst that has been common for them. The six-run sixth inning marked the 20th time this season that GCU had scored four or more runs in one inning.
It was part of the comeback that also has been common of late. The Lopes rallied four times for wins earlier this month against Wisconsin, San Diego, Princeton and Notre Dame at the San Diego Classic.
"That helped us cut our teeth and get ready for these tough conference weekends," Hays said. "When you play those six-game tournament weekends, playing single games feels like a piece of cake.
"We prepare all the time to come back from adversity and know that we're going to get beat. That's how any good conference is. Now, we're looking forward to Tuesday to be prepared, go play well and give ourselves a chance to win."
GCU plays a 6 p.m. Tuesday game at No. 11 Arizona, which won a weekend series against Arizona State.
The Lopes' arsenal strengthened this weekend with Martin, who began to break out with a Tuesday hit against Oklahoma State, now tying sophomore Jada Cooper for the team lead in home runs and ranking second to Cooper in RBIs.
"Being here has done numbers for me," Martin said pf GCU. "In one year, I've got more from this experience than the past three. It's been eye-opening and comforting, and it's taking me to the next level. I'm surrounded by friends and family here that aren't even blood. The girls and the atmosphere is pretty caring."
The Lopes are 33-1 with many of those types of victories, but they also have proven resilient to rally. They notched their fifth comeback win this month to finish a sweep of San José State on Sunday at GCU Softball Stadium.
GCU trailed 4-3 until tying the game in bottom of the fifth inning and using another offensive breakout, a six-run sixth, to run away with a 10-4 victory. The Lopes are 6-0 in Mountain West play to take a two-game lead on second-place Nevada.
"Those are the games that are easy to lose, especially in a good conference like this," GCU head coach Shanon Hays said. "You find a way to give them the momentum, and it was nice to grab it back."
San José State looked like it would have no chance to beat the Lopes if it could not get GCU graduate left fielder Trinity Martin out this weekend.
After a pair of 3-for-3 games to help the series' first two wins, Martin lined the first pitch she saw Sunday for a three-run home run just over the left-field wall. It was her fourth home run of the weekend and her third consecutive three-RBI game to bury a 3-for-22 slump.After Martin alternated between home runs and singles for the weekend, the Spartans pitched eight consecutive balls to her Sunday after her home run. Martin is hitting .288 with eight home runs, 26 RBIs and 16 walks this season after hitting .259 with five home runs, 15 RBIs and nine walks last season at Virginia Tech.
Her confidence is showing with first-pitch hits on five of her past eight hits. This weekend, six of her seven hits produced runs while the other was a leadoff hit.
"I felt more comfortable this weekend than I have in a long time, confidently and physically," said Martin, a native of Nathalie, Virginia. "I'm just seeing pitches well and swinging the bat well. It's definitely been building up. The coaches have been keeping it in my head that I've been having good swings, so I've just been trusting to keep that swing and not focus on the outcomes.
"I couldn't be happier with my outcomes, good or bad, because my mindset at the plate right now is top tier. I'm a hard person to beat in the box. I was when I got here, and it's just got better with (Hays and assistant coach Hunter Hays)."
But even a career weekend for Martin could not solely sweep the Spartans, who hit three home runs in the first three innings off GCU sophomore Natalie Fritz and freshman Abi Jones.
Lopes senior right-hander Taryn Batterton entered for two shutout innings before sophomore left-hander Oakley Vickers made her 12th appearance in the past 13 games to keep the game at 4-4 through 5 1/2 innings.
GCU had tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning with a two-out rally that started with Martin and junior first baseman Alina Satcher drawing walks. Junior third baseman Mackenzie Nolan cashed in the opportunity with an infield single that San José State second baseman Reina Zermono, who hit two home runs Sunday, dived to stop. But she could not get up in time to throw Martin out at home.
The sixth inning opened with sophomore Ellie Pond pinch-hitting, and it went so well after she roped a leadoff single that she came up again in the inning. Pond smacked her first double of the season into the left-field corner to score two runs and make the lead 10-4."I try to go in the cages and stay warm in case that moment does happen," said Pond, a Providence, Utah, native who is batting .313 after transferring from Salt Lake City Community College.
"We have a lot of trust in each other. We all support each other, and we all have a lot of fun. That helps us win a lot of games. That helps us get the momentum and the courage from our teammates."
Pond's leadoff single was backed up by senior center fielder Sydney McCray beating out a hit-and-run drag to the first baseman and freshman second baseman Raegan Holtforf's sacrifice bunt.
"I was frustrated the whole game, and then we pinch-hit Ellie Pond and she got us going," Hays said. "Then, we executed some. Syd had a really good hit-and-run play, and then the game went our way when Raegan got that bunt down to move them over. The game was set up."
One of GCU's clutchest hitters, senior designated player Emily Gonzalez, pulled a single to left field for two runs, her 23rd and 24th RBIs of the season, and a 6-4 lead.
"She shortened up and hit a line drive like you expect her to do," Hays said of Gonzalez, who has 104 career RBIs.
That might have been enough, but the Spartans set up the Lopes for more with two hit batsmen and two RBI walks before Pond's two-run double.Vickers picked up her team-leading 10th win for 2/3 of an inning, and GCU used its fifth pitcher with senior Maggie Place recording the final two outs.
The Lopes posted consecutive double-digit scoring games for the first time this season and needed a scoring outburst that has been common for them. The six-run sixth inning marked the 20th time this season that GCU had scored four or more runs in one inning.
It was part of the comeback that also has been common of late. The Lopes rallied four times for wins earlier this month against Wisconsin, San Diego, Princeton and Notre Dame at the San Diego Classic.
"That helped us cut our teeth and get ready for these tough conference weekends," Hays said. "When you play those six-game tournament weekends, playing single games feels like a piece of cake.
"We prepare all the time to come back from adversity and know that we're going to get beat. That's how any good conference is. Now, we're looking forward to Tuesday to be prepared, go play well and give ourselves a chance to win."
GCU plays a 6 p.m. Tuesday game at No. 11 Arizona, which won a weekend series against Arizona State.
The Lopes' arsenal strengthened this weekend with Martin, who began to break out with a Tuesday hit against Oklahoma State, now tying sophomore Jada Cooper for the team lead in home runs and ranking second to Cooper in RBIs.
"Being here has done numbers for me," Martin said pf GCU. "In one year, I've got more from this experience than the past three. It's been eye-opening and comforting, and it's taking me to the next level. I'm surrounded by friends and family here that aren't even blood. The girls and the atmosphere is pretty caring."
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Vickers, Oakley (10-0)
L: Faus, Delaney (6-13)
Batting:
HR: Zermeno, Reina 2 ; Chillingworth, Taylor 1
RBI: Zermeno, Reina 2 ; Chillingworth, Taylor 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Zermeno, Reina 2 ; Chillingworth, Taylor 1 ; Sotelo, Gabriella 1
HBP: Zermeno, Reina 1 ; Blachly, Samantha 1 ; Sandoval, Isabella 1
Batting:
2B: Holtorf, Raegan 1 ; Pond, Ellie 1
HR: Martin, Trinity 1
RBI: Martin, Trinity 3 ; Nolan, Mackenzie 2 ; Pond, Ellie 2 ; Lucas, Tinley 1 ; Gonzalez, Emily 2
SH: Holtorf, Raegan 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Martin, Trinity 2 ; Nolan, Mackenzie 1 ; Pond, Ellie 1 ; Williams, Briah 1 ; Campbell, Morgan 1 ; Shifflett, Addison 1 ; Satcher, Alina 1 ; McCray, Sydney 2
SB: Wilkinson, Haley 1 ; McCray, Sydney 1
HBP: Shifflett, Addison 1 ; Satcher, Alina 1 ; McCray, Sydney 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
2
R
2
H
1
RBI
3
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
RHP
/ SoftballUTIL
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
LHP
/ SoftballNo. 22 GCU homers THREE times in dub over San José State #collegesoftball
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