PHOENIX – Taryn Batterton and Cari Ferguson each went the distance but in the end, Batterton came up on top in the pitcher's duel to lift Grand Canyon to a 1-0 victory over Santa Clara softball on the final day of the GCU Kickoff Classic on Sunday.  

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Batterton quieted the Santa Clara bats striking out 10 batters and giving up just a pair of hits and a walk to earn her second win of the weekend that saw Grand Canyon (5-0) go undefeated in five games.
• The only hits Batterton allowed was a bunt single to Hazyl Gray in the fourth and an infield hit to Taryn Clements in the sixth.  
• Santa Clara (3-2), who dropped their second straight game to the Lopes, threatened in the sixth.  They loaded the bases when Gray reached on an error, the single by Clements and Robynn Balmediano was hit by a pitch.  However, Batterton struck out pinch hitter Kyla Acres to escape the jam.  
• Ferguson allowed four hits and struck out six in her six innings of work.  The only blemish came in the second when Tinley Lucas doubled with two outs and Mackenzie Nolan singled her home for the lone run of the game.    
• Grand Canyon had runners at the corners with two outs in the fourth but Clements threw out the runner at second on a double steal attempt to keep it a one run game.   

NEXT UP:

• Santa Clara has their home opener on Thursday against Illinois in the first game of the Silicon Valley Classic tournament co-hosted with San José State.         

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