Arizona softball came back to win its first ever game at LSU to avoid a sweep in what could end up becoming an important series for the Wildcats.
No. 11 Arizona (30–11) beat No. 18 LSU (28-14) 4-2 on Sunday after a couple of narrow losses in the series’ first and second games.
Arizona's Emma Kavanagh (18) led the offense with two RBIs vs. No. 18 LSU in Game 3 of the series on Sunday.
With 16 Regional sites up for grabs, the Wildcats came into Sunday’s game at No. 16 in the RPI, down a slot from Saturday. LSU meanwhile jumped up to No. 11 from 16th on Saturday.
In Game 3 on Sunday, LSU jumped ahead 2-0 in the third inning when junior infielder Kylee Edwards hit an RBI single and sophomore utility Alix Franklin got hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
In its next at bat, Arizona struck back with a solo home run from senior utility Sydney Stewart.
Then in the sixth inning, junior utility Tele Jennings got a sacrifice RBI, driving in junior utility Regan Shockey, who slid under the catcher’s tag. Next, sophomore utility Emma Kavanagh got the game winner, an RBI double.
Arizona sophomore Jenae Berry, whose brother Jacob went to LSU after playing his freshman season at the UA, started the game. She went 2⅓ innings with 4 hits, 2 earned runs and 2 walks.
Then senior Jalen Adams (17-6) pitched the final 4⅔s, giving up no runs or walks, and 4 hits.
On Saturday, LSU took the series with a 3-1 win.
The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the first with an RBI triple by Edwards and a sac fly scored Edwards.
In the top of the sixth, Arizona got on the board with a sacrifice fly of its own from senior utility Grace Jenkins.
Then in the home half of the sixth, the Tigers tacked on an insurance run when junior infielder Ally Hutchins drew a bases loaded walk.
Going into the series the Wildcats were averaging 8.02 runs per game. Arizona finished the game with 8 runners left on base and going 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
Adams pitched a complete game, giving up 3 earned runs on 3 hits, 3 walks and 3 hit batters.
Arizona leads the all-time series against the Tigers 12-8 but lost its first four games at LSU. The Bayou Bengals won the 2015 Baton Rouge Super Regional 2-0 over the Wildcats and then first two games of this year’s series.
The series opened Friday with a 4-1 LSU win. Arizona and Louisiana State each had five hits and the Tigers had a couple of errors but a home run and hit following a double doomed the Wildcats.
Arizona struck first when sophomore infielder Sereniti Trice scored on a Little League home run: she reached on a throwing error, then advanced to second and then took third and scored on another error.
Sereniti Trice (00) scored Arizona's only run in Game 1 vs. LSU on April 10.
The Tigers took the lead in the third when junior utility Sierra Daniel hit a 3-run home run. Arizona threatened in the fifth, loading the bases but stranded all three of them.
The Wildcats left seven runners on base.
LSU added another run when sophomore utility Char Lorenz got an RBI single.
Berry got the start, going 2⅔ innings with 3 earned runs, 3 walks, 2 hits and 2 strikeouts. Freshman Rylie Holder relieved her, going 3⅓ innings, giving up an earned run, 3 hits and a walk while striking out 2.
The Wildcats close out their nine-game road trip with a series at No. 20 Oklahoma State (27-11, 9-6 Big 12) this weekend.
The Cowgirls won a series at Iowa State, the second straight weather affected series for the Cyclones.
The OSU/ISU matchup was originally scheduled to be a Friday, Saturday, Sunday affair but weather caused it to be changed to a doubleheader Friday with the series finale Sunday. When Iowa State hosted Arizona in their last Big 12 series, it was changed from Thursday, Friday and Saturday to a double header on Sunday and a game on Monday.
The Cowgirls are No. 23 in the RPI as of Sunday and play No. 2 Oklahoma, seventh in the RPI, on Wednesday in one game in Oklahoma City. UA went 1-2 against OU in Tucson earlier in the season.
Arizona returns home April 24 to host Houston in its last home series of the year.
Extra bases
– Sophomore infielder Jenna Sniffen caught a line drive and threw a Tiger out at first in the fifth to convert a program record 34th double play of the season. The previous mark was set in 1995.
Arizona has nine games left in the regular season, plus at least one in the single elimination Big 12 Softball Tournament and at least two if the Cats make the NCAA tournament.
UA assistant coach Lauren Lappin posted on X (Twitter) “Really proud of this record. Our ENTIRE defense contributed to the 34. All types of ways. They put their eyes on it and the WENT FOR IT! Onto rollin’ more. BTFD.”
Through Friday’s games, the Wildcats are first in the country in double plays per game (.79). Arkansas is second with .72 and the second highest Big 12 team is UCF at 13th with .57.
The NCAA record for doubles plays in a season is 82, set by UC Santa Barbara in 1985.
– Arizona’s road record now stands at 6-5. The Wildcats are 1-2 in neutral games and 23-4 at home.
UA has six road games left in the regular season, the Oklahoma State series and a three-game set at Utah.
– On Saturday morning the Wildcats participated in the Geaux Teal Ovarian Cancer Awareness Walk. During the game LSU wore teal jerseys and the Wildcats sported teal accessories like ribbons and belts.
In 2018, Mississippi State freshman softball player Alex Wilcox died of ovarian cancer.
– Former UA head coach Mike Candrea made the trip and threw out the ceremonial first pitch on Sunday with former LSU head coach Yvette Girouard. Candrea is from New Orleans originally.
– The Wildcats won their first traditional TV game of the season on Sunday, on ESPN. Their next regular TV game is Saturday on ESPN2.
The first two games of the LSU series were on SEC Network+.
