Allie Skaggs helped the No. 21 Arizona softball team bring home the series win against the University of Utah on Sunday, April 7. The series was tied 1-1 going into the final game, but the Wildcats clinched the victory with a 7-4 win. Additionally, the Arizona baseball team swept the University of California, Berkeley on the road with three straight wins over the weekend.
Player of the Week
Allie Skaggs – Utility, softball
Skaggs played a crucial role in the victory over Utah on Sunday. In the sixth inning, she hit a grand slam, contributing 4 runs batted in, which led the team to surpass the Utes. This was Skaggs’ 10th home run of the season and her seventh career grand slam. Her current hitting statistics show that she has a batting average of .290 with 29 hits, including 10 home runs and 29 RBIs in 37 games played for the 2024 season so far.
The Tucson native has demonstrated her skills and proven herself as a top-tier softball player, earning numerous honors over the past two seasons. The sophomore has a remarkable track record from the previous season, as she was honored with the National Fastpitch Coaches Association/Rawlings Gold Glove for second base and was named a Division I Softball All-American (Second Team). She also earned a spot on the NFCA All-West Second Team and was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. This season, she was named on the USA Softball Top 50 Player of the Year Watch List and secured a spot on the Preseason All-Pac-12 team. Additionally, Softball America recognized her as a Second Team Preseason All-American and ranked her 15th overall in their Preseason Top 100 list. We hope to see more of Skaggs’ prowess as the Wildcats’ season continues.
Team of the Week
Baseball
The Wildcats had a tremendous time in the Bay Area as they completed their second consecutive conference series sweep against the Golden Bears. The 7-3 victory on Sunday afternoon concluded the first half of their Pac-12 schedule with an outstanding 10-5 record, the highest number of wins in the conference. Additionally, this win means that Arizona has now swept back-to-back Pac-12 series for the first time since 2021, defeating both University of Southern California and Utah.
Their seven-game conference win streak is the longest since their eight-game streak in 2021. The Wildcats have consistently limited opponents to 4 runs or fewer in 12 of their 15 conference games this season.
Some notable players, including right-handed pitcher Cam Walty, stood out with a dominant performance on Saturday, recording eight strikeouts in a shutout victory. Senior Emilio Corona and freshman Andrew Cain both made significant offensive contributions, with Corona hitting a solo home run and Cain going 2-for-4 with two RBIs on Sunday.
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