A mound visit to settle pitcher Devyn Netz, an error by second baseman Allie Skaggs, and the Arizona softball team was out of sorts early Friday evening.
Its deficit to Iowa State had grown from a solo shot by freshman Cyclone Angelina Allen to multiple runs, and doubt, along with the wind, blew through Hillenbrand Stadium. Then, the No. 9 Wildcats (12-4) did what they do best: Hit the ball over the fence. Once they had the lead, they never looked back in a 11-3 five-inning run-rule victory.
Arizona, which leads the Pac-12 in home runs, got on the board with a rocket from Skaggs that nearly hit the cars behind center field. Then, Carlie Scupin drilled her team-leading eighth home run over the left-field fence, drawing a massive fist pump from coach Caitlin Lowe.
The head coach’s fiery response fueled the Wildcats forward. Paige Dimler delivered her first career homer and snared Sophia Carroll in a crushing hug at the plate to cap the four-run third inning.
“I’m so proud of her, as a freshman, to step into an opportunity in a big game like this, to see her clutch up and get us going in the right direction,” Carroll said.
While she didn’t get in on the home run rally, Carroll enjoyed her best offensive night as a Wildcat.
The sophomore has dug herself out of an early-season slump by recording at least one hit in four of her last five games. Arizona needs her in the lineup due to her shortstop skills, which were on display in Friday’s first inning when she threw across nearly the entire diamond to get a girl out at first.
In raising her average from around .100 to .267 in just five games, she has helped breathe life to the bottom of the lineup. Behind her Hannah Martinez added two hits, including a triple that nearly topped the left-field fence, and nine-hole Giulia Koutsoyanopulos nearly had two hits as well, narrowly being thrown out on a potential infield single.
“Hitting is contagious, and I wanted to be able to pass the bat to make sure everyone got an opportunity today,” Carroll said.
Koutsoyanopulos was thrust into action due to an injury to Janelle Meono. Last year’s Pac-12 Freshman of the Year sported a boot around her left leg, missing her first game of the season. Jasmine Perezchica took Meono’s spot in both center field and the leadoff spot, which has been exclusively Meono’s since March 10, 2021.
While the Wildcats will miss Meono, who is getting a medical evaluation done on Saturday, they did get some good news in Hanah Bowen’s return to the circle.
After Devyn Netz allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits and one walk with six strikeouts in four innings, Bowen came into the game to a nice round of applause.
The senior had been away from the team, back at her home in California, due to “health reasons.” She allowed seven runs in her last appearance, a 7-6 loss to No. 16 Kentucky on Feb. 19, but this time she pitched a scoreless inning, allowing one walk with two strikeouts.
“It was huge, in so many ways, for the team to see that and for her to see that,” Lowe said. “She came back to practice Thursday and just was like, ‘Yeah, I’m ready to go,’ and that felt great all around.”
Arizona continues play in the Wildcat Invitational on Saturday with a doubleheader against Boise State and Texas State, starting at 4 p.m.
