Arizona Softball

Stoddard and Dimler shine in doubleheader sweep of South Alabama

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Miranda Stoddard had four home runs in the doubleheader on Thursday night. (Arizona Athletics)

No. 15 Arizona swept South Alabama, 7-6, 15-0 in five innings, to open the Bear Down Fiesta on Thursday at Hillenbrand Stadium.

Over the doubleheader, Miranda Stoddard hit the first four home runs in her career at Arizona and Paige Dimler took advantage of more playing time because Dakota Kennedy was out with a finger injury she sustained against Washington last week. Kaiah Altmeyer filled in for Kennedy in left field and Dimler started in right field.

Stoddard had six hits and seven RBIs and came a couple feet from having five home runs because a soaring line drive she hit bounced off the top of the center field wall in game two of the doubleheader.

“It was just one of those days for me and for Paige,” Stoddard said. “Obviously, we put a lot of hard work in but sometimes you just see it like a beach ball and I thought it was just one of those days for me.”

Arizona head coach Caitlin Lowe said that Stoddard wasn’t herself at the plate to start the season but has settled in at the plate since.

“She kind of let the game come to her and took what they gave her,” she said. “I’m used to that Miranda. So, it was great to see her get her shot tonight.”

Dimler had five hits, with one home run and six RBIs on the evening, including a game-winning RBI sacrifice fly in game one on Thursday night.

She said she was always there for her teammates in a limited role last season and tried to “own every moment” when she got opportunities.

“But that doesn’t mean I was satisfied with those opportunities either,” Dimler said. “I want to be in the lineup every day. I put a lot of work in the offseason for when my number was called. I just felt like a lot of my hard work paid off.”

Lowe was thrilled to see Dimler play so well when she got the opportunity on Thursday.

“With the depth that we do have, sometimes you have earned a spot and you don’t get that moment because other people in front of you are also killing it… She’s been a great teammate throughout it all,” she said. “I think that’s the biggest thing. She’s been locked in every single game. Whether she’s in it or not, getting one at-bat or no at-bats. She’s just been a rock star with all of it. I’m just excited to see her shine in those moments.”

Two home runs from starting pitcher Stoddard and clutch hitting by Sydney Stewart led Arizona to a 7-6 win over South Alabama in game one of the doubleheader.

When Stoddard hit a solo home run with one out in the bottom of the fourth, it extended Arizona’s lead to 5-2.

Ryan Maddox then relieved Stoddard in the circle with one out and one runner on in the top of the fifth. She walked Pressley Lively, and with two outs, Gabby Stagner hit a three-run home to center to tie the game at 5.

Maddox gave up a single to Olivia Branstetter, setting up another pitching change, with Devyn Netz taking the circle.

In the bottom of the fifth, Arizona (7-1) reclaimed the lead at 6-5 when Dimler ran out a two-out deep infield single to the right side, scoring Stewart from third.

South Alabama (4-3) tied the game in the top of the seventh. With one out, Lively singled up the middle, and Amity White doubled to center just under Regan Shockey‘s glove to bring Lively home to even the score at 6.

Stewart doubled to shortstop to open the bottom of the seventh and advanced to third on a wild pitch. With one out, Dimler flew out to center and Stewart scored, beating the late throw home to win the game.

Arizona got out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Stoddard hit the first home run of her career at Arizona, scoring Dimler.

After Stoddard hit Caitlyn Gavin by a pitch to begin the top of the third, Frankie Andujos reached base on a fielder’s choice and a line drive by Lively down the left field line loaded the bases for South Alabama. Two sacrifice flies by White and Stagner evened the score.

Stewart hit a two-RBI double to right field to regain the lead for Arizona at 4-2 with one out in the bottom of the third and Stoddard hit a solo home run in the fourth to take a 5-2 lead.

Netz (3-1) pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing one run off two hits with one strikeout.

In the nightcap, Arizona scored five runs in each of the first three innings on its way to run-rule South Alabama, 15-0, in five innings. Arizona allowed no hits over the five innings.

Dimler hit a three-RBI triple to right-center to get the Wildcats going in the bottom of the first, and Stoddard followed her with her third home run of the evening, scoring Dimler to put the Wildcats up 5-0.

A pair of two-run home runs from Dimler and Jenna Sniffen in the bottom of the second, and a two-out RBI single from Shockey gave the Wildcats a 10-0 lead.

The Wildcats five runs in the third came off Stoddard’s two-run homerun, Sniffen scoring on a wild pitch and an RBI double by Altmeyer.

Brooke Mannon got the start, and Aissa Silva (1-0) relieved her in the circle for the win in the top of the third to finish the game.

Kennedy had a cast over a finger on her left hand and will be evaluated week-to-week.

Arizona plays Cal State Fullerton (4-1) on Friday at 3 p.m. at Hillenbrand Stadium.

FOLLOW @KEVINMURFEE ON TWITTER! ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com writer Kevin Murphy was born and raised in Tucson, and has followed Arizona Wildcats athletics since childhood. Murphy is a journalist product manager with the Green Valley News & the Sahuarita Sun. He has a bachelor’s degree from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at ASU.

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