'They did it their way': Coach Caitlin Lowe heaps praise on Cats following unlikely WCWS run

Arizona was the little engine that could during its run to the Women’s College World Series.

It may sound a little funny to say that about one of the most successful programs in college softball history. But the Wildcats exceeded just about everybody’s expectations — except maybe their own — over the final two weeks of their season.

Arizona nearly became just the second unseeded team to make the WCWS semifinals. Instead, that honor went to Texas, which defeated Arizona 5-2 on Sunday night in Oklahoma City.

The Wildcats believed in themselves right up until the last out. It was an attitude that developed during the postseason, as the team swept its way through the regionals and Super Regionals. It grew with every game of Taboo and every puzzle played during two-plus weeks spent in Missouri, Mississippi and Oklahoma hotel rooms.

UA coach Caitlin Lowe said she saw her team grow up.

“Then they realized like, ‘Why not us?’ and they went to work in a regional against seeded teams, didn’t matter,” she said. “Every single game felt like an away game — I think except for (Friday’s win over) Oregon State. And they just didn’t care. They put their head down and they grinded. I think they did it in their own special way which was cool.

“They didn’t try to be last year’s team or the teams of the past. They did it with their own stamp having fun. Izzy Pacho catching balls and smiling about it because she’s just having so much fun playing the game. Five-foot-five Janelle Meoño chest bumping and so uber-confident. They did it their way. I’m just so proud of the growth.”

Leaving it all out on the field

Hanah Bowen pitched in her final game as a Wildcat on Sunday night, going three-plus innings before Devyn Netz came in to relieve her. Bowen gave up three runs on four hits, struck out two and walked one on 60 pitches.

With Bowen, the numbers never tell the full story. The right-hander pitched much of the second half of the season with a hip injury.

Bowen limped throughout Sunday’s game, yet was effective — especially early. She allowed just one hit — a bunt — to the first seven batters she faced. After throwing a belt-high changeup that Courtney Day blasted to left, Bowen came right back to strike out the next batter.

“I think you saw all heart today,” Lowe said. “I think you saw all heart, honestly the whole season. he hasn’t been in 100% all season she’s had bumps and adversity thrown at her. She’s handled it with grace. We had about a 30-minute conversation at Cal where she just wasn’t feeling great. She made a decision at that point — her mind got really strong, and she didn’t have her whole body.

“That’s the thing about softball that’s different than other sports — you only get so many days to play this game. And it’s a game she’s loved, and she’s prepared for the stage for her whole life. It’s not a hard decision to make. But man, when your body’s given out, it’s pretty hard. I think you saw her leave her heart on the field today and you know it makes the rest of us want to fight that much harder for her.”

The Wildcats made their postseason run on the backs of their pitchers — particularly Bowen. She won back-to-back games at the Columbia Regional, then got the first win at the Starkville Super Regional.

She pitched in all three games in Oklahoma City.

“I told her that all the struggles made her better for this moment, and I think this is the way she would have wanted to end it on the biggest stage for softball,” batterymate Sharlize Palacios said.

It takes a village

Lowe’s first season as head coach of the Wildcats wasn’t easy, but it ended up being pretty sweet.

Lowe isn’t taking all the credit. One of the major lessons she learned from her predecessor, Mike Candrea, is that it’s all about the people behind the scenes who make the program tick.

“I just couldn’t be more thankful for surrounding myself with great people in this program — and I’m not talking about just athletes,” she said. “I’m talking about a great assistant coaching staff, and (operations and) everyone all the way down to our video manager, who gives us pump-up speeches before we leave for the field. Everyone. It just matters so much the way you not just interact with people but the people you surround your athletes with.”

Lowe was particularly proud of the way her players carried themselves in Oklahoma City.

“People that open the doors at the hotel come up to me and say, ‘Man, your team is just a class act, and they do things the right way,’” she said. “That’s a big deal. That’s what it’s about. They come to the field and life just as great people and great athletes and I just couldn’t be more proud of them.”

Inside pitch

Carlie Scupin gave the Wildcats a 2-1 lead in the fourth inning with a single to right field.

“I was getting a lot of pitches and seeing the ball pretty good,” Scupin said.

The Tucson High grad went 4 for 7 in the WCWS, and drove in the game-winner in Friday night’s 3-1 win over Oregon State.

Texas and Arizona faced each other two previous times in the WCWS, splitting the series. In 2005, Cat Osterman struck out 19 Wildcats and the Longhorns prevailed 1-0 in 11 innings. The very next year, it was Arizona’s turn as Alicia Hollowell struck out nine Longhorns as the Wildcats won 2-0. Lowe scored the first run after reaching base by getting hit by a pitch. She then stole second and came home on a single by Callista Balko.

Against Texas there were more defensive gems including a leaning catch over the back by Pacho on a pop-up in the sixth inning.

Texas lead-off batter Janae Jefferson faced Bowen back in 2018, going 0 for 3. Sunday, she went 0 for 2.