Some of the information for this report provided from the Arizona media-relations department:
Everything came together — pitching, defense and powerful hitting — for Arizona in its season-opening 9-1 run-rule win over Long Beach State on Thursday night in the Candrea Classic at Hillenbrand Stadium.
The Wildcats scored nine runs on 13 hits. The defense did not commit an error and Devyn Netz and Brianna Hardy (Buena grad) limited the 49ers to five hits in the five-inning game.
Izzy Pacho (Ironwood Ridge), Carlie Scupin (Tucson High) and Netz, the starter in the circle, hit home runs in the victory.
Pacho, who writes a weekly column for AllSportsTucson.com, went 3-for-3 with five RBIs. She blasted a grand slam in her first at-bat of the season.
Jasmine Perezchica went 3-for-3 as the leadoff batter.
Pacho and Perezchica showed right away they can make up for the loss of catcher Sharlize Palacios and leadoff batter Janelle Meoño to UCLA.
Netz (1-0) struck out three batters, walked one and scattered four hits in four innings. At the plate, she went 2-for-3 that included her first career home run.
Arizona scored five runs on two home runs in the first inning on Pacho’s grand slam and Netz’s solo shot.
In the second inning, Pacho drove in another run with a single to left field.
Oliva DiNardo achieved her first collegiate hit — a single to left field — to bring in Arizona’s seventh run of the game in the third inning.
@izzy_pacho clears the bases in her first at-bat of the season. What a way to kick off senior year! pic.twitter.com/9KhnrSDtTw
— Arizona Softball (@ArizonaSoftball) February 10, 2023
In the fourth, Scupin hit a two-run homer to extend Arizona’s lead to eight runs.
Hardy entered the circle in the top of the fifth, allowing only one hit.
UP NEXT: Arizona continues the Candrea Classic with a double-header on Friday. The Wildcats will face Kansas at 4 p.m. and Long Beach State at 6 p.m.
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