The No. 19 Arizona softball team fell to Oklahoma State University in the second round of the NCAA Softball Tournament, losing the first two games in the three-game series.
After sweeping the first round of the tournament in Arkansas, Arizona lost to OSU 8-0 in five innings on Friday, May 24 and 10-4 in seven innings on Saturday, May 25.
Day 1: Friday, May 24 at 5 p.m.
Game 1: No. 19 Arizona vs. Oklahoma State
Arizona, named the away team for the first game, hit three ground balls resulting in three outs to start the game. The team faced OSU’s best pitcher, Lexi Kilfoyl.
As the Wildcats took the field in the bottom of the first inning, Arizona sent out Miranda Stoddard as their starting pitcher. The Cowgirls scored 2 runs on the Wildcats in the inning before Arizona could get out of it.
After a pitching change was made for the Wildcats, going now to Aissa Silva, OSU scored another run in the bottom of the third inning after a home run to left field.
With no answer from the Wildcats, OSU hit 2 more home runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and forced another pitching change for the Wildcats, now going to senior pitcher Ali Blanchard. OSU, however, was unfazed by the change and scored 3 more runs on the Wildcats.
With the Cowgirls scoring the 8th run in the bottom of the fourth inning, the game ended early with the mercy rule being enforced on the Wildcats as they fell 8-0.
Day 2: Saturday, May 25 at 3:30 p.m.
Game 2: No. 19 Arizona vs. Oklahoma State
Arizona was made the home team for game two, taking the field first and sending out Silva as the starting pitcher. Silva was pulled in the first inning after giving up a 2-run homer to OSU in the top of the first inning. She was replaced with freshman pitcher Brooke Mannon. Mannon would also give up a run in the first inning after OSU stole home on a wild pitch.
Arizona answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the first inning after Regan Shockey hit a single to third base.
After a quick second inning for both teams, OSU scored 2 more runs in the top of the third inning with back-to-back home runs. The Cowgirls extended their lead in the top of the fourth with 2 more runs. However, Arizona’s bats would answer in the bottom of the fourth with a 2-run homer from Emily Schepp. OSU made a pitching change back to Kilfoyl who would end the game for them.
After giving up another run in the top of the fifth inning, Arizona elected to pull Mannon and put Stoddard in to end the game. OSU, again unfazed by the change, scored 2 more runs, extending its lead to 10-3 over the Wildcats.
Arizona answered in the bottom of the fifth with 1 more run.
With quick sixth and seventh innings, the Wildcats fell again to OSU, this time 10-4.
With these two losses, Arizona was eliminated from the NCAA Softball Tournament, ending the Wildcats’ 2024 season.
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