The UA softball team spent a long weekend in Los Angeles, and left without scoring a run.
In fact, the 15th-ranked Wildcats managed just five total hits while getting swept Saturday, Sunday and Monday by No. 3 UCLA.
It’s become a concerning trend for Arizona (19-7, 0-3), which hosts rival Arizona State this weekend at Hillenbrand Stadium. Five of the Wildcats’ seven losses have come via shutout.
First-year coach Caitlin Lowe complimented the Bruins’ pitching staff, but said she expected a better performance from the Wildcats’ hitters.
“I think we tried to be someone that we weren’t at the plate,” Lowe said. “I thought we kind of ditched a lot of what makes us good hitters. I think sticking to our game and being able to adjust to what they’re doing to us is important rather than trying to become someone else.”
UCLA’s Holly Azevedo no-hit the Wildcats on Sunday, striking out 13. Junior Megan Faraimo tossed 11 shutout innings and tallied 17 strikeouts in two appearances against the UA.
“I think (Faraimo) gave us enough on the plate and we extended our zones a little too much,” Lowe said. “We swung at pitches that she wanted us to swing at out of the zone and that got us out of ourselves.”
Arizona will try to get right starting Friday against the 20th-ranked Sun Devils.
The magnitude of the upcoming rivalry series goes without saying.
“I don’t think we have to talk about it because the girls know,” Lowe said. “We have to work for every single pitch and I think you can feel just the energy of every single pitch in this series. We’re going to get ready and it’s going to be a fight Friday through Sunday.”
Current ASU pitcher Marissa Schuld spent two seasons (2019-20) as a Wildcats pitcher and designated player.
Old friend alert
Former Wildcat Marissa Schuld will likely see action in the circle this weekend for the Sun Devils. Schuld leads ASU with a 1.32 ERA in 47 2/3 innings; she’s also hitting .235 with a pair of RBIs.
“Marissa is a competitor and I think their whole team is a bunch of competitors and so are we,” said Lowe, who coached Schuld from 2019-20 as a Wildcats assistant. “I know it’s going to be a grind for every pitch, but I know they’re ready for it.”
Schuld played two seasons at Arizona. As a sophomore, she started 15 games as the Wildcats’ designated player, hitting two home runs and driving in six. Schuld made eight appearances in the circle as a Wildcat, boasting a a 0.40 ERA and 10 strikeouts.
The Scottsdale native left the UA for ASU following the 2020 season; she was forced to redshirt last year because of in-conference transfer rules.
Schuld “just competes, and I think she loves this game and she loves competing,” Lowe said. “She just loves softball, so she’s a workhorse and she’s going to go at you and it’s our job, when she makes a mistake, to be all over it.”
Freshman Elish finding her groove
Pitchers rarely see the field as freshmen.
Arizona’s Madi Elish didn’t even expect to pitch as many innings as she has this season.
“I was just expecting to just come here and just be ready for whenever my time is to come,” Elish said. “I’m glad to come here and pitch as much as I have so far. I think it’s awesome being a freshman and getting as many innings as I have so far.”
Elish has made five starts this season in 39 2/3 innings. Her effectiveness out of the bullpen this year is what Lowe believes has been her greatest contribution to the team.
“I think she provides a different look that we don’t have in the bullpen,” Lowe said. “When she comes in, it’s never necessarily because someone else isn’t doing well, it’s because we need a change of pace.
“She comes in and she provides a great down ball and a great off-speed that complements Devyn (Netz), compliments Bo (Hanah Bowen), compliments Fon (Jessie Fontes). She’s necessary for our bullpen for sure.”
Elish made one start and pitched in all three games against the Bruins last weekend, allowing four runs over 8 2/3 innings.
“It was crazy, because both of these programs I’ve watched since I was younger,” she said. “So just being on this team, I’m in this program and then facing UCLA; it was crazy.”
Now that Elish has had a taste of the rivalry, she is fully prepared for this weekend.
“I can’t miss any pitches,” Elish said. “I know that they’re going to be coming in here and ready to attack so I have to do the same thing. We know that whenever we go there, they come here, we’re going to expect a good softball game.”
