Feb. 27, 2011
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. -
UGA Box 
UVA Box
Updated Stats
No. 3 Arizona (12-2) split its two games Saturday in second day at the Cathedral City Classic. Kenzie Fowler took the loss vs. Georgia, her first loss of the season, despite only pitching one inning in an 8-0 run rule loss for the Cats. UA responded in the nightcap, beating Virginia 9-3 behind the arm of Shelby Babcock.
Game 1 - Georgia 8, Arizona 0 (5 innings)
Arizona was shut out for the first time all season as No. 1 Georgia (14-1) rolled to an 8-0 run-rule win over the Cats.
Arizona got its first two runners of the game on with a Brittany Lastrapes' single and a two base error on a sacrifice attempt by Lauren Schutzler. Two runners in scoring position with no one out the Cats got two consecutive outs. A Lini Koria walk loaded the bases for Kristen Arriola who grounded into a fielder's choice to end the threat.
Georgia got on top in the bottom of the first. It scored its first run when Brianna Hesson hit a two-out RBI single to left field. She was hit home by a towering two-run shot to left by Ashley Razey to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead.
UA made a pitching change in the second, bringing in the freshman Shelby Babcock. The Broomfield, Colo., native worked out of a two-on jam in the second.
Georgia loaded the bases with only one out in the third. Babcock struck out Razey before allowing an RBI single to Kristyn Sanberg. Hesson tried to score at home but was gunned down by Lastrapes.
The Bulldogs added two in fourth with four singles, Megan Wiggins and Alisa Goler batted in runs in the inning.
Brittany Hubbard hit her second RBI single in the fifth to put UG up 7-0. A two-out double by Megan Wiggins ended the game.
Game 2 - Arizona 9, Virginia 3
The Cats rebounded in the second game of the night, putting six runs on the board in the first two innings to build a lead they would not relinquish. Brittany Lastrapes, Brigette Del Ponte and Stacie Chambers each hit homers in Arizona's 9-3 win over Virginia (9-5). The Cats had 13 hits on the night.
Shelby Babcock got the win, improving her to 3-1 on the season. The freshman struck out six, walked six and allowed six hits on the night.
The Cats did not take long to take some aggression out on Virginia in the nightcap; UA had a 2-0 lead three batters into the game.
Brigette Del Ponte's two-run home run was one of four, first-inning Wildcat hits, besting the three total hits the Cats registered vs. Georgia.
Shelby Babcock loaded the bases in the bottom of the first with a single and two walks only to get the next two outs to strand three for Virginia.
Arizona added four more runs in the top of the second. Brittany Lastrapes homered to center to start the scoring for UA. Lauren Schutzler doubled and Stacie Chambers blasted her home with a home run to right field. An error by Virginia third baseman Erica Cipolloni extended the inning for Kristen Arriola to double home Koria from first. The RBI double gave Arizona a 6-0 lead after one and a half.
The Cavaliers got on the board in the bottom of the fifth. A two-out walk and subsequent triple by Marcy Bowdren got the first UVA run across. Stephanie Harris singled Bowdren in from third to cut the Arizona lead to 6-2.
The Cats scored three runs in the top of the sixth to climb ahead 9-2. Lastrapes led off with a double. Chambers and Arriola had RBI singles in the frame and Koria brought one home with a groundout.
Virginia cut into Arizona's lead in the bottom half when Alison Pittman doubled in a run to push the score to 9-3.
Babcock closed out the game to preserve the Arizona win in the bottom of the seventh.
Arizona concludes its stay in Palm Springs tomorrow, meeting Loyola Marymount at 2:00 p.m. Tucson time and San Diego State following that game.
