Two big innings by the Arizona Wildcats were far too much for their counterparts from Villanova to overcome in game one of the Fayetteville Regional on Friday evening. Truth is, the ‘Cats from Tucson probably only needed one of those innings to defeat Nova, but a 14-3 run-rule victory was a good way to start the NCAA Softball Championship.
The Arizona Wildcats took it to the Villanova Wildcats from the first pitch. They sent 11 batters to the plate on their way to an 8-0 lead after the first inning.
“It’s just a testament to sticking to our plan and knowing who we are as hitters,” said senior first baseman Carlie Scupin. “It’s really great to be here right now. Obviously, last year didn’t end the way we wanted it, but we just played our game this year and now we’re here.”
Dakota Kennedy set the tone. She led off the game with a walk and came around to score the first run on an RBI single from Scupin.
When Kennedy came up for the second time in the first inning, she showed off her versatility. This time, it was a two-run home run to give Arizona an 8-0 lead.
“She’s tough,” said VU head coach Bridget Orchard. “She has power. She has speed...She took one 250 feet. So, you just try your best. In the pitching game, just try not to put it over the middle for her. Then, our corners crash and tried to take away that short game. We knew not just from Dakota but their team had a lot of speed. We were really kind of expecting a short game. We did not defend it really well even though we expected it, but that’s credit to Arizona.”
Kennedy stayed hot all day. She ended the game 2 for 2 with a walk. She scored three runs and had two RBI. Scupin was 3 for 3 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Arizona Wildcats (35-16-1, 13-11 Pac-12) @ Arkansas Razorbacks (37-10, 14-10 SEC)
When: Saturday, May 18 at noon MST
Where: Bogle Park in Fayetteville, Ark.
TV/Streaming: ESPN2 and ESPN+
If the Wildcats win, they will not play again until Sunday. If they lose, they will play the winner of Game 4 between Southeast Missouri State and Villanova at 5 p.m. MST on Saturday, May 18.
In addition to the RBI from Scupin and Kennedy, runs were driven in by Blaise Biringer, Emily Schepp, Tayler Biehl, and Kaiah Altmeyer in the opening frame. After Biehl’s RBI double made it 4-0, VU lifted starting pitcher Alyssa Seidler.
Reliever Kat Gallant didn’t have any more success than her teammate. She allowed inherited runners Biehl, Biringer, and DiNardo to score. She was responsible for the runs of Altmeyer and Kennedy.
Scupin added to the power numbers with a leadoff homer off Gallant in the bottom of the second, but Arizona’s offense stalled there for a while. Gallant sat down six straight batters to keep the UA Wildcats’ lead at 9-0 heading into the fourth.
Meanwhile, Arizona starter Miranda Stoddard was keeping VU off balance. She dismissed the first five batters of the game before giving up a single to Ava Franz. The only other baserunner Stoddard faced in her three innings of work was Madison Ostrowski, whom Stoddard hit with a pitch to lead off the third.
As has been Arizona’s pattern this season, Stoddard left after the third inning. Freshman Brooke Mannon was staked to a 9-0 lead when she came in to relieve.
Things didn’t go well for the rookie. She gave up a hit and three walks without recording an out. Despite Mannon’s struggle in the circle, getting her into a postseason game was important for Arizona head coach Caitlin Lowe.
“It was huge to get all three in the game to kind of get their feet wet,” Lowe said. “Brooke’s going to have many more moments in the postseason, and just being able to trust yourself and just go right at people. The hit doesn’t bother me. The walks is what bothers me and I know that’s what’s getting to her.”
Aissa Silva entered the game for Mannon. Silva allowed two inherited runners to score on a groundout and a sacrifice fly but got three straight outs to keep the Wildcats in control 9-3.
VU’s three runs in the top of the fourth took the run rule off the table for a while. Arizona wasn’t okay with that.
Arizona responded in the bottom of the fourth with another big inning. Once again Kennedy got things started. She singled to give Arizona a baserunner. Regan Shockey and Scupin followed with singles of their own to load the basis with no outs.
Allie Skaggs put the run rule possibility on the table again with a double down the left-field line that just barely stayed fair. The Arizona Wildcats led 11-3 and they weren’t done yet.
Caroline Pellicano entered the game for VU to pitch after Skaggs’ double. She had as much difficulty as her two teammates.
DiNardo drove in pinch runner Zaedi Tagalog to make the score 12-3. Skaggs was on third and Ali Blanchard stood on first in place of DiNardo.
Biringer kept things going with a single to score Skaggs.
“I know Blaise tends to float under the radar,” Lowe said. “She doesn’t for us because we get to see her every day and the way she competes. But I’m just happy to see her come through in that moment with a big hit and...defensively she’s been rock solid over there all year.”
There were two runners in scoring position when Biringer moved up on the throw to third base. The score was 13-3 and Blanchard was 60 feet away. A groundout by Schepp made it 14-3.
“I think they have each other’s back,” Lowe said. “I don’t know if you could tell but...the defense was in that pitching circle the whole time right with our pitchers just wanting it so badly for them but also having their back on the offensive side. And I think that’s a really big deal. We were playing as a team tonight. And that feels good.”
VU put two runners on in the top of the fifth. One reached on an error. The other got a single, but a double play ended the game via the mercy rule in five innings.
Arizona will play in Game 3 of the regional on Saturday, May 18 at noon MST against the winner of Game 2 between Arkansas and Southeast Missouri State. Arkansas led 3-2 after five innings.
UPDATE:
Arkansas defeated SEMO by the score of 3-2. Arizona will play the Razorbacks in Game 3 on Saturday with the loser playing the winner of Game 4 later in the day.
