The No. 10 University of Arizona softball team (21-2) had a fantastic weekend at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, Calif. sweeping their opponents including Weber State University (6-14), California State Unviersity, Fullerton (13-9), the University of Notre Dame (10-10), the University of California, Los Angeles (18-4), and San Diego State University (13-8) on Friday, Feb. 28, to Sunday, March 2.
No. 10 Arizona vs. Weber State, Feb. 28, 6:00 p.m.
Arizona opened its tournament with a 13-3 run-rule win against Weber State. The Wildcats started hot, notching a quick 4-0 lead in the first inning. Miranda Stoddard and Paige Dimler both earned a triple, which helped Arizona earn three runs. Emma Kavanagh would hit a sacrifice fly, allowing a runner to snag the fourth run.
Arizona earned five more runs in the second inning, giving them a 9-0 lead. In the fourth inning, Logan Cole’s sacrifice fly and an RBI single from Regan Shockey brought Arizona to 13-0.
Weber State finally made their mark at the bottom of the fifth inning with three runs off of a two-run double and an RBI single. This comeback wouldn’t be enough, as Arizona would walk away with the win.
Ryan Maddox went 4.2 innings and struck out six batters while allowing six hits and three runs. Brooke Mannon entered the game in the fifth inning facing six batters, including earning a strikeout to end the game.
No. 10 Arizona vs Cal State Fullerton, Feb. 28, 8:30 p.m.
Arizona ended the night with another run-rule 12-1 victory over Cal State Fullerton. Arizona’s office was on top in the second inning, where it scored nine runs. Arizona would be lights out, ending the game early in just five innings, its second straight run-rule and its ninth on the season.
Cole would get the bats going fast, hitting an RBI single to send two batters home. On the very next at-bat, Altmeyer delivered a two-run RBI double to left center, increasing Arizona’s advantage to 4-0. Altmeyer would score yet again off a fielding error, notching another Arizona run. Hits from Devyn Netz and Dimler would continue scoring as they brought two more Wildcats home. Jenna Sniffen would close out Arizona’s massive inning by scoring a two-run RBI double, pushing the Wildcats ahead 9-0.
Fullerton would try and claw its way back with an RBI single in the bottom of the second to make it 9-1.
Arizona’s bats would stay hot to close out the game, from a Netz RBI single in the third to Altmeyer and Shockey hitting two more RBI singles in the fourth. Arizona would ultimately close the score at 12-1, clinching the speedy win.
Stoddard would be the lone pitcher on the mound for 5.0 innings and allowed only one run on four hits and two strikeouts.
Notre Dame vs. No. 10 Arizona, Mar. 1, 12:30 p.m.
The stellar Saturday matches started with the Wildcats getting a strong 7-1 win against Notre Dame. Arizona would light up early on, scoring 5 unanswered runs in the first two innings.
Netz scored an RBI single in the first to start with a 1-0 lead. Arizona would continue to pile it on in the second inning with a sacrifice RBI fly by Altmeyer, a run from a wild pitch sending Tayler Biehl home, and a two-run single by Sydney Stewart to close out the first inning. Arizona would amass a 5-0 lead over the Fighting Irish.
An RBI single from Dimler sent Shockey home for another run to extend the lead 6-0 in the fourth inning. Notre Dame’s only score would come from a one-run home run in the top of the sixth inning, which was then followed by a Stewart home run that would cement Arizona’s 7-1 victory
No. 4 UCLA vs. No. 10 Arizona, Mar. 1, 3:00 p.m.
Arizona’s matchup against UCLA had the full engagement of the softball world as the Wildcats upset the Bruins in a 9-8 victory that took three extra innings to complete.
Arizona started the scoring in the first inning with a 2 RBI hits by Netz and Dimler. UCLA would eventually follow up in the 4th inning with two RBI hits to even it back at 2-2.
The seventh inning saw the Bruins get an edge off a three-run home run launched past center field, taking a 5-2 lead. Arizona would follow up in the same inning as Stewart’s two-run single, and a sacrifice fly ball by Netz once again tied the game 5-5 and put the game into extra innings.
While the eighth inning was scoreless, the ninth saw both teams earn a single run. An Altmeyer RBI single would bring the Bruins and Wildcats back neck and neck at 6-6.
The tenth and final inning started with UCLA once again taking the lead at 8-6. Arizona’s pinch hitter, Emily Schepp, would hit a two-run home run for yet another tie. Altmeyer would hit a sacrifice fly, sending home Kavanagh, who walked out of the game.
No. 23 San Diego State vs. No. 10 Arizona, Mar. 2, 10:30 a.m.
Arizona’s handled its final ranked opponent, No. 23 San Diego State, swiftly with a commanding 11-3 run-rule win.
In the first, Netz would launch a double to left center, allowing Stewart to come home from first base. The Aztecs would take a single run lead in the second inning from a two-run home run. At 2-1, it came Arizona’s chance for retaliation.
Biehl hit an RBI single, Altmeyer brought in a two run from a double, Stewart had an RBI single, and Schepp brought in the two runs as the bases were loaded, giving Arizona an 8-1 lead by the bottom of the second inning.
San Diego State’s response came with a single home run at the top of the fifth inning. However, Arizona wasn’t done yet.
Schepp started the sixth inning with a single home run, and Biehl came home off of a fielding error. With a 10-3 lead and bases loaded, Netz came out with a single to right center, walking off the game with an 11-3 win.
Up Next
Arizona’s next series will start their Big 12 play at home at Hillenbrand Stadium. They begin Friday, Mar. 7 at 6 p.m. by playing the University of Central Florida in a three-game series ending on Sunday, Mar. 9 at 10 a.m.
