PHOENIX, Ariz.—South Dakota opened its Spring Break trip by trouncing Northern Colorado 11-1 and falling to the home team, Grand Canyon University, 3-0 in the nightcap at GCU Softball Stadium.
 
The Coyotes (12-5) rattled off 14 hits in five innings against the Bears (4-12) in the opener. USD's top three hitters – Camille Fowler, Alyssa Fernandez and Dustie Durham – were each 3-for-4 at the dish with a combined four RBIs and seven runs scored. Fernandez came around to touch home four times.
 
Durham's three hits matched the total Northern Colorado produced off the senior right hander. Durham pitched to the minimum in the first, fourth and fifth innings, allowed a single in the second, and gave up an unearned run and two singles in the third. Durham struck out three and walked no one in moving to 5-3, the second-most wins in the Summit League.
 
As impressive as Durham was in the opener, USD met its counterpart in Grand Canyon sophomore pitcher Yessie Morrison in game two. An all-WAC performer as a freshman last year, Morrison became the first pitcher to shutout the Coyotes in 22 games dating back to last season. She scattered five singles, had one strikeout and issued no free passes.
 
South Dakota's best chance to score came in the sixth. The Yotes had runners on first and second with one out and the heart of their order up. But Morrison got Durham to reach for a pitch that she grounded to the shortstop for out number two and induced another ground ball to short from Jessica Rogers to end the threat. Morrison pitched a 1-2-3 seventh to close out her third collegiate shutout.
 
Reigning Summit Pitcher of the Week Alexis Devers took the ball against the Lopes (9-7) and went five innings. She allowed three runs on eight hits and had two strikeouts. Freshman Grace Garcia pitched two perfect innings in relief.
 
South Dakota will get a second crack at Grand Canyon Saturday at 4:30 p.m. (MT). Before that, USD will take on Utah in a 11:30 a.m. (MT) contest.