TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona won both games on the second day of the Bear Down Fiesta to improve to 9-0. The Wildcats started the day with a 3-2 upset over No. 15 Arkansas and finished with a 13-2 run-rule victory over Omaha.
Game 1 | Arizona 3, Arkansas 2
The Wildcats walked-off the Razorbacks in the first game of the day, 3-2.
Dakota Kennedy and
Regan Shockey each had two hits for Arizona.
Arizona came out strong, scoring two runs in the first inning. With the bases loaded,
Kaiah Altmeyer drew a walk and
Blaise Biringer had an RBI groundout.
It was a pitcher's duel in the middle innings, with
Aissa Silva retiring the first nine Razorback batters of the game. Arkansas tied the game with a two-run home run in the top of the seventh.
In the bottom of seventh,
Carlie Scupin struck out, but Shockey scored on a dropped third strike to win the game for Arizona.
Silva picked up her fourth win of the season after starting the game and re-entering in the sixth inning to complete the win. In total, Silva pitched 5.1 innings and allowed two runs on two hits.
Miranda Stoddard entered in relief for Silva and did not allow a hit in 1.2 innings.
Game 2 | Arizona 13, Omaha 2 (5 innings)
Arizona run-ruled Omaha, 13-2 in five innings, for the Wildcats' second win of the day. The Wildcats scored 13 runs on 16 hits – led by
Emily Schepp who went 3-for-3 with four RBI and six other Cats had two hits each.
Olivia DiNardo, Schepp, and
Allie Skaggs each hit a home run for Arizona.
Omaha scored one run in the top of the first on an RBI single but the Wildcats answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning. With Kennedy and Scupin on base, DiNardo hit her third homer of the season to give Arizona the lead. Schepp hit an RBI single to add to the Cats' lead.
In the second inning, Arizona exploded for seven runs – six of which were scored on two home runs. DiNardo drove in the first run of the inning with an RBI single. Skaggs followed with a three-run homer to right center. With Altmeyer and Biringer on base, Schepp hit her second home run of the season to extend Arizona's lead to 11-1.
The Mavericks scored their second run of the game on a passed ball in the third. Arizona plated two in the bottom of the third on an RBI double from Scupin and an RBI single from Biringer for the 13-2 lead.
Ali Blanchard earned her first win of the season, pitching 3.0 innings and striking out three Mavericks.
Brooke Mannon started in the circle for the Cats, going 2.0 innings and striking out one batter.
Up Next
The Wildcats will take on Arkansas for the second time at the Bear Down Fiesta on Saturday, Feb. 17 at 2 p.m. MST. Arizona will kick off its 50 Years of Arizona Softball celebration with 70's night on Saturday against the Razorbacks.
