No. 9 Arizona heads into its showdown with No. 2 Alabama on Saturday with two decisive wins over Southern Utah, including Friday night’s 15-0 five-inning victory in the first day of the Candrea Classic at Hillenbrand Stadium.
The Wildcats (2-0) outscored Southern Utah 37-1 in the first two games of the season. They followed their 18-hit barrage in a 22-1 Thursday in the first game with Caitlin Lowe as head coach with 13 hits on Friday.
Arizona starter Devyn Netz (1-0) pitched three scoreless innings, allowing only two hits. She struck out six and walked one.
Madi Elish pitched the final two innings and she threw two scoreless innings while allowing two hits.
Two nights. Two 15+ run wins for @ArizonaSoftball.#BearDown pic.twitter.com/QwvQF0CpY6
— Arizona Athletics (@AZATHLETICS) February 12, 2022
Netz is an Ironwood Ridge graduate, as is Allie Skaggs, who hit her second home run in as many days. Tucson High standout Carlie Scupin also hit a home run for the second straight day.
Cienega great Blaise Biringer and Izzy Pacho, also an Ironwood Ridge standout, each hit doubles. Giulia Koutsoyanopulos also belted a double.
Arizona took an 11-0 lead against Southern Utah (0-3) in the first inning ignited by Sharlize Palacios homering to left field to score Biringer. The Wildcats batted around the lineup. Skaggs’ home run scored Palacios and Janelle Meoño later in the inning.
In the third inning, Arizona scored when Palacios walked with the bases loaded, forcing in Jasmine Perezchica. Meoño also scored on a wild pitch. Koutsoyanopulos hit her first career double and scored after advancing to third on a wild pitch.
The 15th run of the game in the fourth inning came on a sac-fly from pinch-hitter Amber Toven.
Alabama also defeated Southern Utah on Friday, a five-inning 11-0 victory, in what was the Crimson Tide’s season opener.
Alabama scored eight runs in the first inning including RBIs from transfers Ally Shipman (previously at Tennessee by way of Valencia, Calif.) and Ashley Prange (Ohio State) and a grand slam from freshman Megan Bloodworth in their Crimson Tide debuts. The grand slam was the first of two home runs on the day for Bloodworth and Shipman added her own solo shot later in the fourth.
Seven different players recorded a hit, including multi-hit days from Shipman, Prange, Bloodworth and Jenna Johnson, with all 16 position players seeing time in the game.
Jaala Torrence (1-0) earned the complete-game win in the circle, allowing just one hit while striking out a career-best nine.
SATURDAY’S CANDREA CLASSIC SCHEDULE
Games at Hillenbrand Stadium
New Mexico vs. Southern Utah, 10:30 a.m.
Southern Utah vs. Oregon State, 1 p.m.
Alabama vs. Oregon State, 3:30 p.m.
Alabama vs. Arizona, 6 p.m.
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