May 19, 2002
Game 1 Box ScoreGame 2 Box Score
Minneapolis, Minn-- Arizona won the NCAA Region II Softball Championship in an 8-0 victory over DePaul. This will mark Arizona's 15th-consecutive appearance to
the College World Series.
The trip to Oklahoma didn't come easy for the Cats. Arizona lost to DePaul earlier in the day, 6-0, and were forced to play them in the Championship game. Senior Jennie Finch gave up four runs in the fourth inning. DePaul's next runs came in the fifth and sixth inning, both singles to the outfield.
Arizona brought stiff competition to the second game from the beginning, scoring
its first run in the bottom of the first inning. With the bases loaded,
Mackenzie Vandergeest hit a single to left field, bringing Loveianne Jung
home to give Arizona a 1-0 edge.
In the bottom of the second, Arizona had runners on first and second when
Courtney Fossatti hit a single up the middle and Lisha Ribellia advanced
from second to score. After an intentional walk for Leneah Manuma, an error
by DePaul's shortstop allowed Courtney Fossatti and Jung to score, bringing
the Arizona lead to 4-0. A double by Jackie Coburn brought Manuma and
Mackenzie Vandergeest home, and Arizona left the inning with a 6-0 lead
over DePaul. DePaul's pitcher Lindsay Chouinard was hit by Fossatti's
single, but completed the inning, only to be relieved in the third by Sarah
Martz.
In the bottom of the third with the bases again loaded, a single by Jennie
Finch allowed Ribella to score. An error by the leftfielder on the same
play, advanced Jung to home, and Arizona's lead extended to 8-0. The
Wildcats would retain that lead through the fourth inning until the game
was called in Arizona's favor after the top of the fifth.
Meaghan Finnerty, Courtney Fossatti, Jenny Gladding, Mackenzie Vandergeest and Jennie Finch were all named to the All-Tournament team.
The Women's College World Series starts on Thursday, May 23 in Oklahoma City. Arizona hopes to win their seventh National Championship.
