The No. 1 Arizona softball team knew that the inaugural Judi Garman Classic would feature some very tough competition. It turned out to be so difficult that it might have cost the team its top spot in the USA Softball Collegiate Poll.
Arizona (26-3) lost to No. 4 Texas (31-3) at Cal State-Fullerton in the semifinal game that lasted nine innings. Texas scored the game’s only run on a two-out, full-count, bases-loaded single in the bottom of the ninth inning by sophomore first baseman Rachael Cook.
The pitching matchup in Arizona’s final game would be fitting of a championship game, as senior ace Alicia Hollowell (14-1), who last week became the winningest pitcher in Arizona softball history (126 wins), matched up against Texas senior ace Cat Osterman (18-1).
In the three meetings between the teams this year, which the teams split, yesterday’s game marked the first time that the two three-time All-American hurlers faced each other since the 2005 Women’s College World Series.
| Nearing perfection |
UNLV, Thursday 7 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 15 K, 1 E Cal-State Northridge, Saturday 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 13 K, 0 E |
Throughout the game, the pitching was dominant on both sides, with Osterman striking out 19 of the 29 batters she faced. Hollowell fanned 10 of the 18 batters she faced, allowing no hits in the 5 2/3 innings she pitched.
She allowed only one base runner on a walk and appeared capable of continuing the dominating trend for three more innings, until Texas sophomore left fielder MicKayla Padilla hit a line shot back to the circle and right into Alicia Hollowell’s head.ÿ
Hollowell immediately fell to the ground and held her head but was able to move her fingers and kick her feet after falling. About three minutes later, she walked off the field with ice on her face, completely under her own power.
Hollowell did not even allow the hit to Padilla – junior second baseman Chelsie Mesa alertly picked up the deflected ball and threw her out at first base.
Arizona head coach Mike Candrea called upon sophomore pitcher Taryne Mowatt (12-2) to take on the daunting task of stopping the Longhorns bats. Mowatt, who was coming off of a no-hit performance against Nevada-Las Vegas (13-19) and a perfect game versus Cal State-Northridge (11-9), started off shaky, allowing the first hit of the game to her first batter. She later hit a batter but was able to complete her first three innings without a problem.
In the ninth, after Texas mounted a rally and Cook hit Mowatt’s full-count offering for a game-winning single, Mowatt suffered her second loss of the season.
In the three matchups against Texas, Arizona is 1-2. All three games featured a 1-0 score.
Arizona’s record in its five games in the 16-team invitational was a 3-2 after entering the tournament with just one loss. The team’s other loss came Thursday, in yet another 1-0 heartbreaker to No. 14 Texas A&M (20-9).
Last weekend, the Wildcats hosted No. 18 Baylor (18-11) in a three-game set, as Arizona swept the Bears out of Hillenbrand Stadium. Hollowell tied Arizona assistant coach Nancy Evans for first on Arizona’s all-time wins list in the first game of the series and clinched the top spot during the final game of the series.
