Arizona softball wins first Big 12 series with a sweep of Utah

Arizona softball won its first Big 12 series with a sweep and ran their win streak to five games.

On Sunday, the Wildcats (26-4, 4-2 Big 12) beat Utah 3-0, winning what was more of a pitchers’ duel after dropping 16 runs on the Utes in the first two games.

“It was good to beat a good team when they’re playing well and figure out a way to win, especially on a Sunday,” said UA head coach Caitlin Lowe. “Sunday’s are hard, Sunday’s are gut check time where everyone’s tired and everyone knows everything about the whole team and you gotta figure out how to beat your scouting report.”

Utah (8-22, 0-3) has lost four in a row but they still impress Lowe. She praised Utah sophomore pitcher Shelbee Jones (3-9), who they got 3 runs and 5 hits off, adding that she was proud to get the sweep.

“I think it’s really hard to get sweeps these days, it’s really hard to play three solid games against good opponents and listen, they’re knocking on the door,” Lowe said. “I know what their record is but they’re knocking on the door most of those games and so they’re feisty and out wanting to win and I think their pitcher threw a great game, a great game and a bigger zone (Sunday), so I think it was something different we had to adapt to and they accepted the challenge they stayed focused.”

On Sunday, Arizona got on the board in the third inning when junior left fielder Dakota Kennedy drove in a run.

Then in the fourth inning, graduate student pitcher/infielder Miranda Stoddard hit a 2-run homer.

Graduate student Saya Swain, normally a reliever, got the start. She went 3 innings, giving up 2 hits, 2 walks and no runs while striking out 3.

Senior Devyn Netz replaced her, going 2⅔ innings, giving up 5 hits but no walks or runs.

Junior Aissa Silva relieved Netz with two outs in the sixth and left two Utes on base.

“She was coming actually for the lefty and then they pinch hit, they go to the righty, which she stayed calm, cool and collected, focused and got the out, so we’re just proud of her,” Lowe said.

Then Netz came back in for the seventh and retired the Utes in order, getting a strike out. She got the win, improving to 10-3.

On Saturday, Arizona won its first Big 12 series with an 8-6 triumph over Utah.

Arizona jumped ahead in the first when Netz drove in a run. Then junior utility Sydney Stewart got an RBI on a sacrifice.

In the second, Utah got on the board with an RBI single but in the home half of the second, junior infielder Tayler Biehl scored on a throwing error. Then junior utility Kaiah Altmeyer hit an RBI double and Netz hit an RBI sacrifice on a shallow fly that scored an aggressive base-running sophomore utility Regan Shockey.

In the third, Utah hit a solo home run to get one back and then held the UA scoreless for the first time in the game.

In the fourth, Altmeyer got an RBI on a sacrifice. In the fifth, Stewart scored on an error after a single by Stoddard and sophomore outfielder Zaedi Tagalog scored on a wild pitch.

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In the sixth, when Arizona looked headed towards another run rule win, Utah freshman utility Jolie Mayfield hit a grand slam to cut the Wildcats’ lead to 8-6.

Freshman Ryan Maddox got her third start and second in as many weekends but only lasted 1⅓ innings. She gave up 1 hit, 3 walks and 1 earned run, striking out 1.

Stoddard relieved her with the bases loaded and one out, shutting down the Utes after they scored a run. She pitched 3⅓ innings, giving up 5 hits, 1 earned run and a walk.

She got the win, improving to 6-0.

Silva came in to pitch in the fourth with two runners in scoring position but ended the Ute threat. She went 1 full inning, giving up 4 unearned runs.

Swain came in to relieve her, pitching 1⅓ innings, giving up no runs or hits and striking out 2 to get Arizona’s second save of the season. The first was by Maddox in their 9-1 5-inning win over then No. 11 Alabama.

“It’s really nice to be able to get a sweep,” Kennedy said. “I think honestly it just shows our hard work and all the preparation we put in, so it’s really nice.”

Arizona opened up the weekend with an 8-0 five inning win over Utah on Friday. The game was moved up to 3 p.m. from 6 p.m. avoid inclement weather but the Wildcats rained down runs on the Utes.

UA struck first in the second inning when Stoddard hit an RBI double. Then freshman infielder Jenna Sniffen hit a 2-run home run off the light pole in left center field.

In the third inning, Netz hit a 2-run home run and Stoddard hit a 2-run homer.

In the fourth frame, Altmeyer hit a solo home run over the batter’s eye.

In the circle, Netz got the start, going 4 innings, giving up 3 hits and a walk while striking out 1. Silva pitched the last inning, getting a strike out but giving up a walk and hit batter.

Up next for the Wildcats is a four-game in-state road trip starting with GCU (22-3, 2-0 WAC) on Wednesday, then ASU Friday through Sunday in Tempe.

Extra bases

– GCU senior pitcher Emily Darwin is from Benson.

– Arizona improved to 5-0 against teams from Utah. On Feb. 28, they beat Weber State 13-3 in five innings at the Judi Garman Classic and then March 10 they topped Utah State 8-0 in six innings.

On March 27 they start a Big 12 series at BYU, their first trip to Provo, Utah.