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, Austin on Saturday, Feb. 22.

The Wildcats had a slow start at the beginning of the game, allowing LMU to earn a three-run home run. Tayler Biehl closed the gap quickly with a single up the middle, allowing Paige Dimler to score. Kaiah Altmeyer would send a shot out to center field, allowing Biehl and Jenna Sniffen to get home, tying the game at 3 a piece. 

The Wildcats lost control of the game in the next two innings as the Lions would amass three runs in the fourth to make it 6-3. However, in the fifth, Arizona wasn’t out yet. Sydney Stewart would launch a homer past left field, and Sniffen hit a crucial single to send two runners home. Arizona would end 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 would hit a sacrifice fly to send Dimler home, tying the game at 6-6. Regan Shockey would seal the game off 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 two 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 3.3 innings and allowed six runs before being relieved by Devyn Netz. Netz pitched 3.1 innings and struck out four batters with zero runs scored during her time on the mound.

Up Next 

Arizona softball will head to Fullerton, Calif., to compete in the Judi Garman Classic starting on Friday, Feb. 28 to Sunday, Mar. 2. They 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.