Arizona Softball defeats South Mountain CC in their fifth fall ball game

The Arizona softball team faced off against South Mountain Community College at home on Friday, Oct. 27. Though SMCC avoided being another shut-out victim, the Wildcats still cruised to a 9-1 victory.

Defense leading the charge

Coming into this game, Arizona had scored 57 runs and had only given up one. Starting pitcher Aissa Silva kept this momentum alive by striking out the first batter she faced. She was backed up by her infield, who shut down the next two batters with routine plays. Regan Shockey led off for the Wildcats’ offense by stealing second after hitting an infield single. She later rounded third and scored her team’s first run off a groundout RBI from Carlie Scupin. SMCC tied it up in the second inning with an RBI-double to center field.

SMCC’s defense performed well during the bottom of the second. They executed a groundout, line-out and pop-out with ease, leaving Arizona baserunners on second and third.

Arizona brought in Miranda Stoddard to pitch in the third inning, and she delivered back-to-back strikeouts for the Wildcats. Stoddard threw six of the team’s 12 strikeouts in this game. She is a transfer from the University of Kentucky and has two years of eligibility remaining.

Shockey continued to show off her speed, racing past a bunt she sent directly to the pitcher. She then worked herself into scoring position by stealing second once again. Though impressive, this was proven to be redundant when Scupin crushed a deep home run to right field, which brought them both home and gave Arizona a 3-1 lead. The top of the fourth was short-lived thanks to another pair of back-to-back strikeouts from Stoddard.

Offense gets clicking

Arizona turned things up in the bottom of the inning. After an error by SMCC, Kaiah Altmeyer started it off with a single that advanced Blaise Biringer to third. Then it was Tayler Biehl with an RBI-single, advancing Altmeyer to third. Biehl stole second during the next at bat. Shockey brought in both base runners with an RBI-single and advanced to second on an error by an SMCC infielder. Scupin hit another 2-run home run to give the Wildcats an 8-1 lead.

Both teams showed out defensively in the fifth inning. Stoddard delivered another pair of strikeouts to put the offense on the field. Though the Wildcats got themselves into scoring position, SMCC held Arizona scoreless that inning, forcing them to leave three runners on base.

The Wildcats made some adjustments in the field entering the sixth inning. Logan Cole came in at shortstop and Emily Schepp came in to catch for pitcher Brooke Mannon hoping to close out the night. Mannon executed another three-up, three-down half-inning for Arizona.

While there was only one hit, heads-up base-running by the Wildcats led for an entertaining bottom of the sixth. After going three-for-three at the plate, Shockey was intentionally walked. She advanced to second on a bunt by Dakota Kennedy. Scupin grounded out to second, but she still advanced both baserunners. Shockey did not hesitate to steal home when the SMCC infield showed a moment of weakness, turning their backs on the play.

Arizona closed out the game in the top of the seventh inning with a routine groundout to second and two more strikeouts from Mannon. The Wildcats’ performance on defense secured the win, as they only allowed one hit and committed just one error.

Looking ahead

The next time Arizona takes the field will be Thursday, Nov. 3, at Mike Candrea Field at Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium. The Wildcats will compete in a doubleheader against Chandler Gilbert Community College at 4 p.m. and Arizona Western College at 6 p.m.