The No. 8 Arizona softball team continues to dominate as they went 4-0 in the Wildcat Invitational beating the likes of Iowa State, Boise State, Texas State, and Loyola-Chicago. Arizona started off the weekend defeating Iowa State 11-3 in five innings.
Friday (3/4) vs Iowa State
With two outs to start the game, Iowa State’s Angelina Allen homered to left field to put the Cyclones up 1-0 early. During the top of the 3rd, Allen didn’t let up as she singled down center field to bring in another run for Iowa State. Immediately after, Milaysia Ochoa reached on a fielding error to bring in their third run of the night.
The bottom of the 3rd is where the game changed as the Wildcats scored four runs in that span. Sophomore utility Allie Skaggs solo homered to left to give the Cats their first run of the game. Not wasting any time, with a 3-2 count, sophomore catcher Sharlize Palacios doubled to center field allowing sophomore infielder Carlie Scupin to bring her in with a double homer to tie the game. Then, freshman outfielder Paige Dimlin gave the Wildcats their first lead of the game with a homer to left field.
From there, the Wildcats didn’t hold back as they scored 6 runs in the bottom of the 4th. With bases loaded and sophomore utility Giulia Koutsoyanopulos on third, she scored on a wild pitch. After a walk from Palacios to make the bases loaded once again, Scupin singled up the middle bringing in two runs for the Cats. Dimler then grounded out to shortstop for freshman infielder Amber Toven to score. The inning was finished with an RBI single from sophomore infielder Sophia Carroll and an RBI triple from senior utility Hannah Martinez to make this a 10-3 ballgame. The game ended with an RBI single down the middle from junior catcher/infielder Izzy Pacho to give the Cats the victory at 11-3.
Related: Arizona softball continues to show out as they go 4-1 in the Hillenbrand Invitational
Saturday (3/5) vs Boise State
This game was a battle as the Wildcats took a 5-4 victory over Boise State. Alycia Flores gave Boise State their first run of the game with a homer to center in the top of the 1st. Later during the top of the 4th, Kelsey Lalor did the same with a home-run to center to give the Broncos a 2-0 lead. An inning later, Alysia’s twin sister Eliyah Flores homered to center field to bring another run for Boise State. Their final run of the game came from an Alycia Flores RBI single to shortstop to lead at 4-0.
With three innings left to play, the Wildcats meant business as they scored two runs in the bottom of the 5th. The first was an RBI double down the left-field line by Pacho. Then, Carroll RBI singled to the right-center field to bring in freshman outfielder Allie Enright. The Wildcats decided to end the game early with three runs in the bottom of the 6th. Palacios RBI singled to center field, which was followed by a 2-run RBI double by Scupin to give the Wildcats the 5-4 victory over Boise State.
Saturday (3/5) vs Texas State
Following the Boise State victory, the Cats were in a battle once again to take a close victory over Texas State 11-10. Skaggs started the game with an RBI single to right field to give the Cats a 1-0 lead early. Texas State immediately responded with a 3-run homer from Samara Lagway to take the lead. Arizona then followed up with an RBI sacrifice fly out from Palacios to end the bottom of the second only down one run. The Bobcats once again responded with an RBI double from Anna Jones to center field to bring in another run. In the top of the 4th, Texas State’s Crenek RBI singled to second base to bring in Ciara Trahan.
In what seemed to be a back and forth battle, the Wildcats stepped up in a big way as they put 5 runs on the board during the bottom of the 4th. Skaggs started off with a 2-run RBI single to center field. Palacios then RBI singled up the middle bringing in sophomore outfielder Jasmine Perezchica to score. Finally, Pacho ended the inning with a 2-run RBI single up the middle to take the lead 7-5.
Texas State kept on fighting as they scored another run in the top of the 5th. One inning later, the Bobcats took the lead putting three runs on the board. Claire Ginder’s 2-run RBI singled to right center, then Lagway singled down the right side to put the Bobcats up 9-7. The Wildcats didn’t panic as they scored three runs in the bottom of the 6th. Pacho RBI doubled to right-center field, which was followed by a 2-run RBI double from Dimler to re-take the lead 10-9.
With the game down to the wire in the final inning, neither team seemed tired at all. During the top of the 7th, Texas State tied the game at 10 runs apiece with an RBI single to left-center field from Sara Vanderford. With the game all tied up and one last chance for Arizona to take the victory, they took it with a walk-off RBI single from Carlie Scupin to steal the victory 11-10.
Sunday (3/6) vs Loyola-Chicago
The Wildcats’ sweep for the weekend was finished off with a shutout 11-0 victory against Loyola-Chicago. Followed by a Dimler solo home-run to right field in the bottom of the second, the Wildcats scored 7 runs in the bottom of the 3rd. Palacios sacrifice flew out to right field to bring in Koutsoyanopu for a 2-0 lead. Scupin then 2-run RBI doubled to right-center field, which was followed by an RBI single to right-center field from Pacho. Toven then stepped up to the plate and 2-run RBI tripled down the right-field line. Martinez ended the bottom of the third with an RBI single to second to give the Cats an astounding 8-0 lead.
The Wildcats sent the Ramblers packing as they scored 3 final runs in the bottom of the 4th inning to finish the game. Scupin RBI singled to left field to bring in Skaggs to score. With bases loaded, catcher Bailey Thompson got hit by a pitch bringing in Enright to score. The Cats’ final run was scored on a Koutsoyanopulus reach on a fielder’s choice to bring in Scupin for the shutout victory at 11-0.
With less than two weeks before the Wildcats start Pac-12 play, the Wildcats host the Bear Down Fiesta starting Friday, March 11 at 6 p.m. against Yale as their double-header against UTEP was postponed.
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