Lopes make history in Tempe

Tuesday, April 18

Tempe, Ariz.

6 p.m.

Grand Canyon

34-9

Arizona State

21-17

Grand Canyon

Arizona State

4/18/2023 10:21:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

GCU beats ASU for 1st time in 2nd try, Fifield breaks single-season home run record

By: Adrianna Candelaria

Grand Canyon softball took care of business in Tempe, defeating Arizona State 3-2 in Tuesday night's matchup and etching the Lopes third Pac-12 victory in their Division I history.

"Getting off to a good start was everything tonight," GCU second-year head coach Shanon Hays said after his first game against ASU, which won the teams' first meeting in 2021. "We battled early against a pitcher with great velocity and made key plays."

Lopes senior right fielder Kristin Fifield put the Lopes on the board in the top of the first inning with a two-run home run that broke the single-season home run record, With her 15th home run of the season, Fifield also now owns the GCU all-time career home run record (38) and extended her Division I-era Lopes record for career RBIs (161), which she broke within the last month.

With a 2-0 lead in the top of the second, senior second baseman Macee Barnes sent a ball to the center-field wall, allowing senior third baseman Madison Schaefer to add an additional GCU run to the board.

The Lopes, who entered the evening ranked 78th in the NCAA Ratings Percentage Index, held ASU, ranked No. 44, scoreless through the first three innings. GCU allowed two runs on four hits with the Sun Devils solo-homering in the fourth and sixth innings.

GCU was led in the circle by sophomore pitchers Meghan Golden and Emily Darwin, who combined for 11 fly outs, five ground outs and four strikeouts. Golden has recorded 97 strikeouts on the season in 69 2/3 innings.

The Lopes now hold a 1-1 historical record versus the Sun Devils.

Grand Canyon is scheduled to compete in its second consecutive Pac-12 matchup tomorrow night at 6 p.m. against Arizona.