Completed Event: Softball at Fresno State on April 8, 2026 , Win , 6, to, 0
Softball
at Fresno State
W 6-0
Grand Canyon University Athletics
Friday, April 17
San Diego, Calif.
6 p.m.
Grand Canyon
42-5, 15-2
12
at
3
San Diego State
21-21, 6-11
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Canyon | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 6 | 0 |
| SDSU | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
Photo by: Braden Dohrmann
Offense explodes for 11 runs in first 2 frames to beat SDSU
4/17/2026 10:24:00 PM | Softball
Lopes clinch spot in MW Championship with road win
SAN DIEGO - Grand Canyon scored early and often en route to a dominant 12-3 win over San Diego State in the road conference series' first game Friday night.
The 24th-ranked Lopes (42-5, 15-2 Mountain West)Â managed to score 12 runs on just six hits, having patient eyes at the plate to walk eight times. GCU also took advantage of two Aztec fielding errors and a hit by pitch to open its first-place conference lead to 3 1/2 games.
In the top of the first inning, GCU's first five batters reached base and scored. Senior leadoff hitter Sydney McCray hit an infield single, freshman Raegan Holtorf made it on with an error at second base, and sophomore Jada Cooper loaded the bases on a fielder's choice with no outs.
Graduate clean-up hitter Trinity Martin wasted no time, swinging away at the first pitch she saw and smoking the ball into the night sky for an opposite-field grand slam.
It was Martin's team-best 13th homer, her ninth in conference play this season. GCU continued to reach base, hitting around the order before McCay reached once again on a bases-loaded infield single. After McCracy beat out the throw at first, junior catcher Tinley Lucas made the extra effort to score from second bases, sliding home safely for the sixth run of the inning.
GCU added another five runs in the second inning. Freshman right fielder Addison Shifflett brought in the first two with an RBI single. Shifflett then stole second and scored on a wild pitch after Lucas and junior shortstop Mackenzie Nolan walked. After sophomore third baseman Ellie Pond struck out, the top three hitters in the order all walked in order, scoring two more runs. Through two frames, the Lopes led 11-0. It was the first time this season the Grand Canyon bats scored five or more runs in back-to-back innings.
Grand Canyon scored one more run in the third to complete its successful offensive day. The run came at the hands of senior designated player Emily Gonzalez, who smoked a line drive over the left-field wall for a solo shot. The home run was her ninth of the season and 30th of her career. She has 22 in her two seasons at GCU.
In the circle, sophomore Natalie Fritz earned the Friday night start fresh off a Mountain West Pitcher of the Week award. The right-hander moved to 9-0behind 3 1/3 innings with two srikeouts and two runs allowed. She joins GCU pitchers Oakley Vickers and Taryn Batterton with nine or more wins this season. Vickers and Batterton likely will make the next two starts in the series.
Grand Canyon clinched a spot in the Mountain West Championship with the win. Ssx of the 10 MW teams will compete in Reno over the second weekend of May for an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. GCU was the first to clinch a spot in the field.
The Lopes are two wins from clinching a conference tournament first-round bye with eight conference games remaining.
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The 24th-ranked Lopes (42-5, 15-2 Mountain West)Â managed to score 12 runs on just six hits, having patient eyes at the plate to walk eight times. GCU also took advantage of two Aztec fielding errors and a hit by pitch to open its first-place conference lead to 3 1/2 games.
In the top of the first inning, GCU's first five batters reached base and scored. Senior leadoff hitter Sydney McCray hit an infield single, freshman Raegan Holtorf made it on with an error at second base, and sophomore Jada Cooper loaded the bases on a fielder's choice with no outs.
Graduate clean-up hitter Trinity Martin wasted no time, swinging away at the first pitch she saw and smoking the ball into the night sky for an opposite-field grand slam.
It was Martin's team-best 13th homer, her ninth in conference play this season. GCU continued to reach base, hitting around the order before McCay reached once again on a bases-loaded infield single. After McCracy beat out the throw at first, junior catcher Tinley Lucas made the extra effort to score from second bases, sliding home safely for the sixth run of the inning.
GCU added another five runs in the second inning. Freshman right fielder Addison Shifflett brought in the first two with an RBI single. Shifflett then stole second and scored on a wild pitch after Lucas and junior shortstop Mackenzie Nolan walked. After sophomore third baseman Ellie Pond struck out, the top three hitters in the order all walked in order, scoring two more runs. Through two frames, the Lopes led 11-0. It was the first time this season the Grand Canyon bats scored five or more runs in back-to-back innings.
Grand Canyon scored one more run in the third to complete its successful offensive day. The run came at the hands of senior designated player Emily Gonzalez, who smoked a line drive over the left-field wall for a solo shot. The home run was her ninth of the season and 30th of her career. She has 22 in her two seasons at GCU.
In the circle, sophomore Natalie Fritz earned the Friday night start fresh off a Mountain West Pitcher of the Week award. The right-hander moved to 9-0behind 3 1/3 innings with two srikeouts and two runs allowed. She joins GCU pitchers Oakley Vickers and Taryn Batterton with nine or more wins this season. Vickers and Batterton likely will make the next two starts in the series.
Grand Canyon clinched a spot in the Mountain West Championship with the win. Ssx of the 10 MW teams will compete in Reno over the second weekend of May for an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. GCU was the first to clinch a spot in the field.
The Lopes are two wins from clinching a conference tournament first-round bye with eight conference games remaining.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Fritz, Natalie (9-0)
L: Kwarta, Matti (5-5)
Batting:
HR: Martin, Trinity 1 ; Gonzalez, Emily 1
RBI: Martin, Trinity 4 ; Holtorf, Raegan 1 ; Cooper, Jada 1 ; Shifflett, Addison 2 ; Gonzalez, Emily 1 ; McCray, Sydney 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Martin, Trinity 2 ; Holtorf, Raegan 1 ; Nolan, Mackenzie 1 ; Rueda, Izzy 1 ; Lucas, Tinley 1 ; Williams, Briah 1 ; Campbell, Morgan 1 ; Cooper, Jada 1 ; Shifflett, Addison 1 ; Gonzalez, Emily 1 ; McCray, Sydney 1
SB: Shifflett, Addison 1
HBP: Martin, Trinity 1
Batting:
HR: Gigante, Olivia 1 ; Williams, Jazmin 1
RBI: Gigante, Olivia 2 ; Williams, Jazmin 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Gigante, Olivia 1 ; Waiki, Quinn 1 ; Williams, Jazmin 1
CS: Tall, Andrea 1
HBP: Terrones, Gabriella 1
Game Leaders
dp/1b
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
4
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
UTIL
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
C
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
IF
/ Softball
UTIL
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
LHP
/ SoftballHOMER from the DRONE 🥎 #collegesoftball
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