Izzy Pacho and Allie Skaggs are squeezing everything out of every moment they have playing softball.
Despite being two of the top hitters in the Pac-12 and the nation, they’ve decided that there’s more out there — that they could be even better than last season.
Skaggs was tied for the most home runs in the league with 24. Pacho batted .360 with 11 homers, including the solo shot that put the Wildcats one win from the Women’s College World Series in the Starkville Super Regional.
Skaggs said it’s simple: She loves hitting.
“Izzy and I — we are each other’s tweakers,” Skaggs said. “We work together every single day. Like every day — between every single BP round, every pitch.
“I love tweaking a swing. I think you only have so many more years left playing this game. Why not try to make your swing the best that you can make it?”
The Wildcats hope the adjustments mean even more timely hits as they open the season at 6 p.m. Thursday against Long Beach State in the Candrea Classic at Hillenbrand Stadium.
Skaggs, who had a .367 batting average last season and a .797 slugging percentage, was named to the All-Pac-12 preseason first team and Softball America’s Preseason All-American first team over the past week. Yet she took a real hard look at her swing in the offseason.
Besides the swing itself, one of the biggest changes fans will see is a bigger leg kick — ala Javy Baez of the Detroit Tigers.
The junior second baseman posted a side-by-side comparison of her stance and Baez’s a few weeks ago on Twitter. Skaggs calls her swing a combination of Baez, professional softball player Erika Piancastelli and Washington’s Baylee Klingler, who tied Skaggs for the most home runs in the Pac-12 last year.
Arizona's Izzy Pacho constantly talks with teammate Allie Skaggs about the art of hitting; the two regularly tweak each other's swings.
Pacho, who was first-team NFCA All-West Region last year, spent her summer studying the game and “buying into (Skaggs’) theories.”
The fifth-year catcher/third baseman also has added a bigger kick, although not as big as her teammate’s. Pacho also focused on her timing.
“Trying to find a different spot on every pitcher that we’re facing that kind of makes me on time,” Pacho said. “We talked about our load and how we’re getting to the ball and if we’re reaching out to go get it. (Or) if we’re catching it too late. And the mindset of hitting and what your approach is when you’re in the box.
“That’s one thing that I’ve learned since my freshman year is you can’t just go up there and see yellow. You have to have a plan, and executing that plan is probably one of the hardest parts about hitting.”
Added Skaggs: “Hitting is so difficult. No matter how good we get, we can still not do well. And that’s the most frustrating part. It’s like every single day you’re a work in progress. No matter how good my swing gets, I could still go 0 for 4, four strikeouts and look like I’ve never swung the bat before.
“But then I just go back to my roots and say, ‘Izzy, what did you see? And how can you help me? Because you know me better than I know myself. What do I do?’ And then you work from there.”
Arizona coach Caitlin Lowe, one of the best hitters in program history, said her swing evolved throughout her career as a Wildcat. As a freshman, she was called “Scorpion” because she held her bat at a bad angle. Through her work with former UA coach Mike Candrea in practice, she started to get a feel for her swing.
For most hitters, it just takes time — time to gain confidence and to mature. It comes with lots of extra hitting, watching film and playing in the WCWS.
Lowe also sees something special in the mix with Skaggs and Pacho.
“They hunt. They hunt. It gives me goosebumps,” Lowe said. “When you watch our scrimmages, they’re like ‘This plate’s mine.’ And that look. That’s what the mentality looks like. It’s not what they say, because they would never … You know Allie Skaggs, and she’s the most humble person in the entire world. But they hunt, and that’s their plate. And that comes with knowing and trusting your swing. And then it becomes about competing.”
At the Arizona softball team's recent preseason media day, UA players discuss expectations this season, while head coach Caitlin Lowe shares here thoughts on the identity of her 2023 Wildcat team and how the transfer portal is impacting the sport. Video by Devin Homer/Special to the Arizona Daily Star
Inside pitch
Skaggs and Pacho aren’t the only Wildcats who are focused on improving their hitting every day. Junior Carlie Scupin talks to Skaggs and other teammates about hitting all the time. Scupin said she copies Skaggs’ approach, even though Scupin is a lefty and Skaggs a righty. And they have completely different swings. None of that matters, “It’s hitting,” Scupin said.
Scupin was Arizona’s other All-Pac-12 preseason member and a Softball America preseason All-American (second team). She was also named to USA Softball’s Player of the Year top-50 watch list. She is coming off a season in which she finished with a .369 batting average and .765 slugging percentage.
In the offseason, Scupin made small adjustments to her swing, but she said she is really focused on her approach. Going into her junior year, Scupin has seen the pitchers she will be facing in Pac-12 play and is “preparing before every series. I’ve been here before, but how am I going to be better this year?”
The opening weekend will feature a variety of fun activities and giveaways. Thursday will feature free pizza and bingo. Saturday is a “white out.” On Sunday, kids can run the bases after the game, and there will be face-painting and balloon artists. Fans can get autographs after the games on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
