The No. 10 University of Arizona softball team (16-2) took down Loyola Marymount University (6-11) in a close 7-6 outing on Thursday, Feb. 26, at Smith Field in Los Angeles. The Wildcats have won two straight following their loss to the No. 1 University of Texas at Austin on Saturday, Feb. 22.
The Wildcats had a slow start at the beginning of the game, allowing LMU to earn a 3-run home run. Arizona’s Tayler Biehl closed the gap quickly with a single up the middle, allowing Paige Dimler to score. Kaiah Altmeyer sent a shot out to center field, allowing Biehl and Jenna Sniffen to get home, tying the game at 3 apiece.
The Wildcats lost control of the game in the next two innings; the Lions amassed 3 runs in the fourth to make it 6-3. However, in the fifth, Arizona wasn’t out yet. Sydney Stewart launched a homer past left field, and Sniffen hit a crucial single to send two runners home. Arizona ended the inning 6-5.
The Wildcats weren’t done there, as they took the lead in the seventh inning and didn’t look back. Altmeyer hit a sacrifice fly to send Dimler home, tying the game at 6-6. Regan Shockey sealed the game off with a single that would send Biehl home, securing the Wildcats’ 7-6 victory.
Arizona’s offense was on fire the entire game. The team recorded 12 hits. Dimler led the pack with three hits and 2 runs. Altmeyer added three RBIs of one hit and a sacrifice fly. Shockey, Sniffen and Stewart would each have two hits.
Miranda Stoddard pitched the first 3.2 innings and allowed 6 runs before being relieved by Devyn Netz. Netz pitched 3.1 innings and struck out four batters with no runs scored during her time on the mound.
Up Next
Arizona softball will head to Fullerton, Calif., to compete in the Judi Garman Classic from Friday, Feb. 28 to Sunday, March 2. The Wildcats will face Weber State University, Cal State Fullerton, the University of Notre Dame, the University of California at Los Angeles and San Diego State University throughout the three-day tournament.
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