The No. 15 Arizona softball team traveled to Cathedral City, Calif., for the Cathedral City Classic this weekend and won all but one game — Thursday’s contest against No. 13 Georgia.
The Wildcats’ offense was too potent for Fresno State to handle in Arizona’s other game on Thursday, as it run-ruled the Bulldogs 9-0 in six innings. Junior Brigette Del Ponte and seniors Lini Koria and Jessica Spigner all had multiple hits, with Spigner leading the way with four RBIs.
Spigner’s two-run walk-off home run in the sixth ended the game for the Wildcats. Junior All-American pitcher Kenzie Fowler pitched a complete, three-hit shutout.
Arizona struggled against Georgia and was shut out 3-0 for the second year in a row, all thanks to a two-hit performance on the mound from Morgan Montemayor.
All of Georgia’s runs were scored on home runs. Pitcher Shelby Babcock regressed to a 4-4 record on the season after giving up six hits.
On Friday, the Wildcats’ bats came alive again, hitting four home runs in the game — three of which came from freshmen Chelsea Goodacre and Shelby Pendley. Arizona prevailed 8-0 in six innings thanks to Fowler’s complete game, two-hit shutout, improving to 4-0 on the season.
Arizona’s defense also shone, as the Wildcats played their seventh consecutive game without an error and 10th in their last 11.
On Saturday, the Wildcats were able to sweep the competition, beating Fordham 3-2 and Syracuse 5-0. Arizona was outhit 7-6 against Fordham but was able to win, thanks in part to timely hitting from Del Ponte, who drove in two runs.
Both Babcock and Fowler played against Fordham, with Fowler on closer duty in the final two frames of play. Babcock allowed two runs on seven hits but was taken out of the game when Fordham hit four consecutive singles to start the sixth inning.
Arizona improved to 12-4 overall and 4-1 in the tournament after defeating Syracuse for the second time this season. Fowler started the game for the Wildcats and pitched her way to her third straight complete game shutout. Once again, Arizona was outhit, 6-4, but the Orange were unable to cross the plate. Syracuse loaded the bases in the sixth and seventh, but Fowler preserved the shutout.
In the Wildcats’ final game on Sunday, it was Babcock that threw a two-hit shutout against Long Beach State. The Wildcats won 4-0. The game was 1-0 going into the fifth, but a double from freshman catcher Chelsea Goodacre and an RBI walk from Baillie Kirker put the game out of reach for the 49ers.
The Wildcats will next face the College of Charleston for a three-game series starting Friday at Hillenbrand Stadium.
