Completed Event: Softball at Colorado State on May 2, 2026 , Win , 11, to, 2 , (5 inn.)
Softball
at Colorado State
W 11-2
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Photo by: Jayden Todd
Fritz continues surge, wins MW Pitcher of the Week
4/13/2026 1:00:00 PM | Softball
Sophomore right-hander made 2 shutout starts in GCU wins
Grand Canyon right-hander Natalie Fritz earned Mountain West Pitcher of the Week after tossing 7 1/3 innings of shutout ball in two starts.
Fritz has been on a recent surge after pitching less at the start of the season, acclimating to her new team and pitching staff.
The sophomore started two games on the week, including five innings of shutout work Saturday in Game 2 of the Boise State weekend sweep at home. She pitched 2 1/3 innings in her first start of the week, in Game 2 of a Wednesday doubleheader at Fresno State. The Lopes used a pitcher-by-committee strategy in the back-end of the Wednesday doubleheader, where Fritz led the combined shutout.
Fritz is 3-0 in Mountain West play, not allowing a single run in any of those wins. The transfer from New Mexico won two MW Freshman of the Week awards last season with the Lobos and has clearly been comfortable in her second straight Mountain West season despite the uniform change.
Fritz is 8-0 with the best ERA in the Mountain West at 1.16, only allowing eight earned runs over 48 innings. Fritz has been a large reason for the overall success of GCU's pitching staff that holds the fifth-best ERA in the country (1.85).
Fritz and the Lopes are 41-4 on the season, giving Grand Canyon the most wins in the nation. They face a great in-state test Tuesday night at GCU Softball Stadium, where they will take on crosstown rival Arizona State at 7 p.m.
Fritz has been on a recent surge after pitching less at the start of the season, acclimating to her new team and pitching staff.The sophomore started two games on the week, including five innings of shutout work Saturday in Game 2 of the Boise State weekend sweep at home. She pitched 2 1/3 innings in her first start of the week, in Game 2 of a Wednesday doubleheader at Fresno State. The Lopes used a pitcher-by-committee strategy in the back-end of the Wednesday doubleheader, where Fritz led the combined shutout.
Fritz is 3-0 in Mountain West play, not allowing a single run in any of those wins. The transfer from New Mexico won two MW Freshman of the Week awards last season with the Lobos and has clearly been comfortable in her second straight Mountain West season despite the uniform change.
Fritz is 8-0 with the best ERA in the Mountain West at 1.16, only allowing eight earned runs over 48 innings. Fritz has been a large reason for the overall success of GCU's pitching staff that holds the fifth-best ERA in the country (1.85).
Fritz and the Lopes are 41-4 on the season, giving Grand Canyon the most wins in the nation. They face a great in-state test Tuesday night at GCU Softball Stadium, where they will take on crosstown rival Arizona State at 7 p.m.
Players Mentioned
RHP
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