Softball Travels West for Littlewood Classic

PHOENIX & TEMPE, Ariz. – DePaul softball will look to continue its hot start to the season when the Blue Demons head out west for five games in three days at the Littlewood Classic, Feb. 17-19, hosted by Grand Canyon and Arizona State.

The Schedule
Friday, Feb. 17 | vs. Weber State | 12 p.m. | Live Stats | Phoenix, Ariz.
Friday, Feb. 17 | at Grand Canyon | 5 p.m. | Live Stats | Watch | Phoenix, Ariz.
Saturday, Feb. 18 | vs. BYU | 2:30 p.m. | Live Stats | Tempe, Ariz.
Saturday, Feb. 18 | at No. 22 Arizona State |2:30 p.m. | Live Stats | Watch | Tempe, Ariz.
Sunday, Feb. 19 | vs. Portland State | 10 a.m. | Live Stats | Phoenix, Ariz.
*All times central *

About DePaul
The Blue Demons opened the season a perfect 4-0 at the DePaul Dome Tournament in Rosemont last weekend. There was no shortage of excitement to kick off the 2023 campaign as DePaul won three of the four games by just one run including a 2-1 eight-inning run over Evansville in the weekend finale. A myriad of Blue Demons contributed to the opening weekend success including senior right fielder Grace Frazier who recorded a team-best .500 average on the weekend with five hits in 10 at bats including two RBI and five runs scored. Reigning BIG EAST Player of the Week Tori Meyer provided a spark for DePaul with six hits, a team-high five RBI including an inside the park home run against Bowling Green and a walk-off RBI-single to left field in a win over Saint Louis. Brooke Johnson, a unanimous All-BIG EAST First Team selection a season ago, picked up where she left off with a three-run homer in her first at bat of the season. In the circle, all four pitchers saw innings with Purdue transfer Brenna Smith throwing 9.2 while going 1-0 with a save and allowing just three hits and zero earned runs. Freshman right-hander Bella Nigey went 2-0 in 10 innings pitched while hurling nine strikeouts.

Picked to win the BIG EAST in the 2023 preseason coaches' poll, DePaul went 29-24 and 16-8 in conference a year ago while playing in their 16^th-straight BIG EAST Tournament. The Blue Demons welcome back 11 letterwinners from 2022 while seven newcomers landed in Chicago last fall including a brand-new pitching staff. Head Coach Tracie Adix-Zins, former All-American pitcher for the Blue Demons, is in her fifth season at the helm in Lincoln Park and picked up her 100th career victory last weekend with the 8-7 win over Saint Louis

About Weber State
The Wildcats are 1-4 on the young 2023 season after facing some stiff competition at the UNLV Tournament on opening weekend. Weber State dropped a pair of decisions to then-No. 7 Arkansas to go along with a loss to Baylor on opening day before splitting a pair of matchups with the host Revels. A season ago, The Wildcats posted a 38-12 record and 13-1 mark in Big Sky play. Weber State appeared in the 2022 NCAA Tournament before bowing out in the regional round. The Wildcats are led by All-Big Sky First Team performer Faith Hoe who started all 50 games a season ago and brought in 41 RBI on 16 extra-base hits. Mary Kay Amicone is in her 10th season at the helm and was the 2022 Big Sky Coach of the Year. Friday will mark the third meeting between the two programs, with DePaul holding the 2-0 series advantage with the last meeting coming in Las Vegas in 2014.

About Grand Canyon
The co-host Lopes are 5-0 to start the season after opening their season in San Antonio and picking up wins over Green Bay, Incarnate Word and Eastern Illinois. In 2022, Grand Canyon won the Western Athletic Conference with a 39-16 and 19-5 regular-season mark before appearing in the NCAA Tournament. Junior infielder Katelyn Dunckel, an All-WAC First Team selection, is back after starting 54 of 55 games last season and posting a .388 average with 55 RBI including seven homers. Senior Ariel Thompson returns to the circle after leading the staff with a 21-6 record and 2.70 ERA last season. Shanon Hays is in his first season leading the program. In a brief series history, the two teams have split the two prior meetings with Grand Canyon taking the first meeting in 2016 and DePaul claiming the 6-3 victory in the most recent matchup in 2018.

About BYU
BYU went 2-2 down at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge last weekend dropping games to North Carolina and Maryland while taking down Wisconsin and North Dakota State. The Cougars were 42-10 last season and 13-2 in West Coast Conference Play. All-WCC First Teamer Huntry Ava returns to lead the infield after starting all 52 games last year with a team-best 53 RBI and 16 home runs. Senior pitcher Chloe Temples owned a 2.12 ERA and 15-3 record a year ago while totaling 140 strikeouts over 115.2 innings pitched. Gordon Eakin is in his 21st season leading the Cougars. Saturday's matchup will be the fourth in the series between the programs, DePaul leads the brief history, 3-1 including an 8-2 win last time out in 2012.

About Arizona State
The 22nd team in the nation as voted on by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) enters the weekend 4-1 after opening the 2023 campaign at the SDSU Season Kickoff. The Sun Devils picked up wins against CSUN, SDSU, Northern Illinois and Memphis while falling to Notre Dame. Megan Bartlett is in her first season in Tempe after spending a season on the Texas staff and prior to that leading the Ball State program. Bartlett was once a Blue Demon as the Terre Haute native was a volunteer assistant in Lincoln Park during the 2014 season. A year ago, ASU amassed a 43-11 record and 20-4 mark in PAC-12 play to win the league and make an eventual run to the Super Regionals. Yannira Acuña, an All-PAC 12 selection, is the biggest threat in the Sun Devils lineup with a blistering .430 average, 43 RBI, 14 home runs and 34 extra-base hits in 2022. Marissa Schuld returns to the circle for her fifth year after posting a 10-2 record in 87 innings pitched last year. ASU has dominated the series between the two programs as of late, 6-1, with the most recent meeting coming in 2010.

About Portland State
The Vikings are 2-3 this season after taking part in the Spring Games in Leesburg, Fla. On opening weekend. Portland State earned victories over Marshall and BIG EAST member Butler while falling to Marshall, Minnesota and perennial powerhouse Michigan. PSU hit just .195 last weekend, but senior Olivia Grey was dealing in the circle, throwing 16.1 inning without allowing an earned run. Five all-conference selections return from the 2022 team that went 28-18 and 10-5 in Big Sky action. The Vikings were selected to finish third in the Big Sky Preseason Coaches Poll behind Weber State and Sacramento State. Meadow McWhorter is in her seventh season leading Portland State. The last time the pair of teams met came in 2018 with DePaul earning a victory to move to 4-0 in the series.

Up Next
DePaul will return to the Midwest and make the trip south to Carbondale, Ill. for a slate of four games at Coach B Classic Feb. 24-26.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Grace Frazier

Brooke Johnson

Tori Meyer

Bella Nigey

Brenna Smith

DePaul University Athletics