Although many of the faces were different, Arizona softball won its third straight run-rule game this weekend.
The No. 15 Wildcats (8-3) closed out the Bear Down Fiesta on Sunday with an 8-0, six-inning win over Creighton. Arizona used a different lineup, changing up spots like catcher, first base, centerfield and lead off.
Sophomore outfielder Addison Duke shifted from left to right, junior outfielder Tele Jennings moved into left and sophomore infielder Sereniti Trice batted leadoff after junior utility Regan Shockey woke up with an illness Sunday.
“Honestly, I mean, it's never a good thing, but it was nice to get Tele a start and give her some at bats (Sunday), which felt great, it was nice to get Addi in center and kind of see just how everybody stepped up around just that decision,” said UA head coach Caitlin Lowe. “Biddy (Trice) leading off, it was great to see that and they just kind of went to work, so it was great.”
Sophomore utility Emma Kavanagh got the start at catcher and led the way with three RBIs, including a walk-off hit.
“It was just a great day to be alive, as usual,” Kavanagh said on Sunday. “I think our hunger was what showed on the field, was wanting it more than everybody else, no matter what happened in the at-bat before or after you or even your own at-bat and I think that’s just what fed me today, was being able to play the sport I love every day and I just let the hunger go.”
Arizona scored five runs in the first, including an RBI double from senior utility/catcher Sydney Stewart and a Kavanagh triple.
Kavanagh is hitting .353 with eight RBIs in 10 games this year and five starts.
Lowe called her versatile.
“She's uber competitive, obviously, wants every single at bat she can get and she does a great job for us behind the plate, brings a lot of energy, a lot of different things than Stew brings,” Lowe said.”
Stewart has played catcher in seven of Arizona’s games so far this year and split time with senior utility Grace Jenkins in one.
Arizona right fielder Grace Jenkins (8) settlers under a lazy pop-up from Coastal Carolina batter Brie Normandin (27) in the sixth inning of their game of the Bear Down Fiesta.
Kavanagh played catcher on Thursday and Sunday, throwing out a Bluejay trying to steal. Jenkins played catcher by herself in one game.
Stewart and Jenkins are on the USA Softball Top 50 Watch List. Jenkins and Kavanagh worked on playing in the outfield during the offseason.
“Fantastic, there is nothing other than that to say about this group of catchers,” Kavanagh said. “Everyone has their own strong suit of something and I think that's what makes us the best catching probably in the country, I’m gonna say, and I know we show it every single day and it's just the versatility we have is unbelievable between two righties and a lefty catcher.
“It just brings really good, really good versatility.”
In the fourth inning on Sunday, the Wildcats added two more after a Stewart RBI single and a fielder’s choice RBI from Jenkins.
Senior pitcher Jalen Adams got the win to improve to 5-2 after giving up two hits and two walks in a complete game.
Arizona starting pitcher Jalen Adams (12) deals to Coastal Carolina in the third inning of their game of the Bear Down Fiesta, Feb. 13, South Tucson.
On Saturday, the Wildcats avenged an upset to Coastal Carolina, winning 9-1 in five innings.
Jenkins hit a grand slam as the Wildcats scored five in the first inning.
Then in the second inning, Arizona added four more runs, including a 3-run home run from Stewart.
Sophomore pitcher Jenae Berry (1-0) picked up the first win of her Arizona career, pitching four innings, striking out two, while giving up no runs, two walks and three hits.
In Saturday’s second game for Arizona, freshman Rylie Holder made her debut, the Wildcats’ fourth pitcher. The Wildcats beat Utah Valley 15-0 in five innings.
Holder held Utah Valley to four hits and a walk.
At the plate, freshman infielder Kez Lucas hit her first and second collegiate home runs, one for three runs and the other a solo shot.
Sophomore infielder Anyssa Wild hit a 2-run homer, her first of the season and matching her home run total of last season.
Kavanagh and Stewart each had three RBIs apiece.
“I think after Friday, I was happy with everything, honestly, I think the pitchers were fantastic, super sharp, excellent at their role,” Lowe said. “I thought behind the plate, we did really well stealing strikes and then did a great job (Sunday).
“Stew did a great job all weekend and Grace kind of getting thrown back there for an inning and then defensively, like I was telling (assistant coach) Christian (Conrad), they rolled some really tough ground balls to our infield (Sunday) and they made it look pretty seamless.”
On Friday, Coastal Carolina stunned Arizona, beating the Wildcats 6-2 in their first-ever loss in the Bear Down Fiesta to an unranked foe.
Coastal jumped ahead 5-0 in the third and held on to get the win.
Adams took the loss after going 2 2/3 innings, allowing five earned runs, seven hits and a walk.
Arizona opened up the tourney with a walk-off win over Drake, 7-6, on Thursday.
Arizona catcher Sydney Stewart (21), left, and second baseman Sereniti Trice (00) have a quiet moment just before first pitch against Coastal Carolina in the Bear Down Fiesta.
Stewart went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and two home runs. Shockey went 4-for-4 with a couple of RBIs as the Wildcats got 11 hits.
In the sixth, Kavanagh hit a dinger for two runs.
Adams got the win after pitching the final three innings.
In the nightcap on Thursday, the Wildcats bested Drake 7-1.
Trice led the way with a triple, a double, three hits total, two RBIs, two runs and a stolen base. Jenkins hit a 3-run home run.
Adams got her second win of the day, starting the game and going four innings, giving up 3 hits and no walks.
The Wildcats return to action on Tuesday with a solo game against Nevada (6-4).
Extra bases
— Rain on Friday changed the Wildcats’ schedule to a doubleheader on Thursday and a solo game on Friday.
— Nevada comes to Tucson after going 3-2 in the Littlewood Invitational at ASU. The Wolfpack lost 7-6 to the Sun Devils on Friday, beat Portland State and Pacific and went 1-1 against Indiana.
— After going 5-1, Arizona improved its record to 21-2 in the Bear Down Fiesta. The Wildcats’ other loss in the Bear Down Fiesta was 3-2 to No. 15 Arkansas in 2024.
