Softball got under way in 2017. The No. 10 Arizona Wildcats faced off with the Fordham Rams at Hillenbrand stadium on Thursday night. The Wildcats started the Hillenbrand Invitational off with an 8-1 win over last year’s Atlantic 10 Conference champions.

It was clear pitcher Danielle O’Toole (1-0) needed time to shake the offseason rust off, and she gave up three straight hits to lead off the game, allowing one earned run.

“It’s my last first game, obviously I’m a little nervous,” O’Toole said when asked about the three singles she gave up to start the game. “Just had to change the game plan a little bit, get on a roll.”

The senior recovered by letting only two Fordham players reach first over the next six innings.

The Upland, California, native finished her first outing of the season with nine strikeouts in a complete game win.

Matters only worsened for Fordham when a solo shot by Katiyana Mauga and a pitch-hit RBI double by Tamara Statman firmly put Arizona in front 6-1 after three innings. Rams pitcher Madison Aughinbaugh was pulled after the third, concluding a night in which she allowed five earned runs.

Mauga finished with a game-high two RBI’s and hit her first home run of the season. Mauga is now 19 home runs short of the all-time Arizona record (87 by Stacie Chambers).

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