Arizona softball closed out its seven-game home stand with a sweep of Baylor, its sixth straight win.
The No. 13 Wildcats (27-8, 9-3 Big 12) beat Baylor, 6-3, Sunday after going down 3-0. In the fourth, senior utility Sydney Stewart hit a game-winning 3-run home run over the batter’s eye.
Arizona ended its home stand with two wins over ASU, one over Grand Canyon and three over Baylor.
“All wins feel good in this conference, I think we're trying to put our best stamp on every single game that we play and really stay present in who we are as a team and we knew it was going to be a tough one,” said UA head coach Caitlin Lowe. “The Sundays are always tough because all of the cards are laid out there and you got to execute and I think we gave too many at-bats away (Sunday), but we also found a way to win and good teams find a way to win on Sunday.
“So, I think a huge credit to Baylor for how they came out, they’re a scrappy team and there's a reason they were at No. 2 in the (standings), so it feels good to get a win when we didn't necessarily play our best (Sunday), but we executed when the time was called in terms of Stew and being able to get people on base to come back after a rough three runs put up there.”
As of Sunday, all three of those foes were in the top 30 in the RPI: Baylor (21-12, 5-4) at No. 26, ASU 27th and GCU 30th. Arizona is currently No. 12 in the RPI.
Going into the series, Baylor was 5-1 in conference play, second in the Big 12, receiving votes in the USA Softball poll and No. 22 in the RPI.
Baylor built up that lead starting when former Wildcat and senior infielder Amber Toven drove in a couple of runs.
Arizona first baseman Kez Lucas (55) celebrates after doubling off BYU Maddie Udall-Woolley on a come-back liner to the circle in their Big 12 season opener on March 5.
Arizona responded in the bottom of the third with RBIs by senior utility Grace Jenkins and freshman infielder Kez Lucas, the reigning Big 12 Freshman of the Week.
Then, in the bottom of the fourth, Stewart hit her dinger.
“I just wasn't getting pitched a lot this weekend, so I have to be selective and not try to extend on things that are in my plan,” Stewart said.
On Saturday, Arizona took the series with an 11-7 win.
The Wildcats went ahead early on bases-loaded walks and a sac fly before junior outfielder Tele Jennings hit a three-run double and scored eight in the first inning.
However, Baylor added five of its own in their next at-bat thanks to a couple of doubles and a couple of home runs.
The Bears’ big inning chased UA starter and freshman Rylie Holder from the game.
Sophomore Jenae Berry relieved her and got a strikeout to end the five-run inning.
In the third, sophomore Addison Duke hit a three-run home run as Baylor added a couple on a single and a home run.
Berry (2-0) got the win after going 5⅓ innings, surrendering two earned runs on three hits and no walks while striking out five. It’s her first outing of pitching more than 1⅓ innings since she pitched four innings against Coastal Carolina on Valentine’s Day, when she got her first win for Arizona.
“I think the pitchers did a great job, held their own, they just trust their stuff and knowing that our defense has their back,” Stewart said. “It’s just cool to see like how our offense and defense work off each other and just how we trust each other.”
Arizona starting pitcher Jenae Berry (11) comes on in relief to close out the 13-1 run-rule win over BYU in their Big 12 season opener in Tucson on March 5.
Arizona opened the series with a 10-2 walk-off win in six innings on Friday night.
Duke and Stewart led the way with three RBIs each, with Duke hitting two doubles and Stewart a home run.
Four other Wildcats drove in runs as they churned out 20 hits, the first time Arizona has had 20 hits in a game since 2017.
Jalen Adams (15-4) earned the complete game wins on Sunday and Friday.
Up next for the Wildcats is a trip to Iowa State (20-13, 3-6).
It’s the start of a stretch of nine straight away games for Arizona. Two of those series are against teams that are currently ranked, No. 20 LSU and No. 21 Oklahoma State.
The Wildcats are 3-2 in road games this year.
Stewart gets a Golden Ticket
After the game Sunday, the Athletes Unlimited Softball League presented Stewart with a “Golden Ticket,” revealing that she will be drafted by the pro league.
“It meant so much, it’s just every girl’s dream come true that plays softball,” Stewart said. “I think to see how much the game has grown and to see what AUSL has to offer, it's just so special and I'm excited to be a part of it.”
She’s the fourth player to get a Golden Ticket.
Former UA star and Olympian Jennie Finch presented her with the pass.
“It's all the warm fuzzies, feels like home, it’s been way too long, I tell you that, I text a lot of my teammates like, ‘OK, we gotta get back here, all together soon, next season, let’s plan it,’” Finch said. “Super special to be back and even more special to be here with AUSL for this moment for Sydney to be able to celebrate the pro league and what it's doing in the platform that we have now for these players to go continue their careers, (it's) really, really exciting.”
Arizona’s Sydney Stewart comes home to the crowd at the plate after knocking a two-run homer, putting the Wildcats up 11-1 in the first inning against BYU in their Big 12 season opener in Tucson on March 5. Stewart had already plated three RBIs earlier in the first on a double.
The draft will be held on May 4. Last year, former UA star Devyn Netz got a Golden Ticket and was picked 10th overall by the Chicago Bandits.
“Well, it was hard to keep it a surprise, that's for sure, no, it was really special, I mean, when that gate opened and she walked through, I think a flood of emotions just happened and she's just meant so much to this program, the city, everything and the sport of softball really,” Lowe said about Finch returning. “So it's really cool, kind of a full circle moment to have her back here and presenting it to Stew, who has done nothing but get better and grow as a human and softball player, so just really proud of her.”
