The No. 9 University of Arizona softball team (31-6) went 2-1 in their series against BYU (21-8). The Wildcats took on the Cougars on Thursday, March 27, at 4:00 p.m. in Provo, Utah, at Gail Miller Field. Arizona won the first game of the series 8-0 and the second as well 15-6. The Cats fell in the last game of the series 4-9.
This included a perfect game from Devyn Netz to open up the series play for the Wildcats.
Day 1:
Arizona showed up with a five inning, eight-run, no-hitter game against BYU for its first matchup in the series.
The Wildcats started their scoring with Miranda Stoddard hitting a two-run home run in the second inning. This was her 11th of the season.
Following her in the third inning was Sydney Stewart and Anyssa Wild, racking up 4 runs altogether. Stewart hit an RBI single, while Wild hit a double that cleared all the bases.
While the score remained 6-0 in the fourth. The fifth inning saw Netz hit a two-run home run, elevating the score by another two runs.
With a total of 8 runs and no score from BYU, there was no need for further play, and Arizona took the win with a final score of 8-0.
Netz was the game’s biggest star. She recorded two separate achievements involving the number eleven.
Her first was the home run, which was her eleventh this season. Her second came from her time on the circle. This being the fact that she pitched the eleventh ever no hitter in Arizona Softball history.
Day 2:
The Wildcats recorded one of their highest scoring games of the season as they secured the series against BYU.
Arizona started the scoring with Kaiah Altmeyer RBI bringing a runner home in the first inning. The Cougars came back to tie 1-1 with the Wildcats in the second inning.
From then on, the Wildcats would score in every inning until the end of the game.
In the third inning, the Regan Shockey and Sydney Stewart would be the first answer to this as Shockey would make it home after a wild pitch and Stewart hit a two-run home run.
BYU would also get a runner home based on a fielder’s choice, making the score 4-2 by the end of the third inning.
There were four runs recorded in the fourth inning for Arizona. Tayler Biehl would come home on a wild pitch, a ball on Stewart sent a runner home while bases were loaded, and Stoddard sent two runners from a single down the middle.
BYU would add three runs to the board in the bottom of the fourth. They would only score one more run for the rest of the game.
Arizona raised the score to 10-5 when Kennedy had an RBI single in the fifth inning and Biehl sent home a runner on first with a triple into deep left center in the sixth.
Although a solo home run gave a point to the Cougars, the top of the seventh saw five runners come home for Arizona.
An Altmeyer single on the right took a runner home and a Logan Cole triple fired down the right, unloaded the bases, and made the final score 15-6.
Five pitchers were put into the game before Devyn Netz came in to pitch the rest of the game from the fifth inning. These include starting pitcher Miranda Stoddard, Brooke Mannon, Ryan Maddox, and Saya Swain.
Day 3:
The Wildcats went out similarly to their last series, falling 9-4. Netz hit her 12th home run of the season, bringing three across home plate in the first inning.
Altmeyer drove in another run off an RBI single to secure a 4-0 lead for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats lost their lead in the fourth inning, starting with a solo home run. The Cougars added four more runs from a three-run homerun and an RBI double, giving them a 5-4 lead. In the sixth inning, BYU brought four more across home plate, running away with the lead 9-4.
Maddox pitched the first 3.1 innings and allowed three runs on six hits and struck out three. Swain allowed two hits and two runs. Netz pitched the final two innings and allowed four runs on four hits.
Up Next:
Arizona will return to Hillenbrand Stadium for a three game series against Oklahoma State University (22-9) starting on Friday, April 4 at 6:00 p.m.
