Jenna Sniffen went 2 for 3 with four RBIs on Sunday. (Arizona Athletics)
No. 7 Arizona struck early and never looked back, mercy ruling UCF, 10-1, in five innings in game three of the series to pick up its first-ever win in Big 12 conference play Sunday at Hillenbrand Stadium.
Arizona head coach Caitlin Lowe said the team was much more fundamentally sound on Sunday than it had been in the previous two games of the series.
“Great pitching, great defense, and then when we had our opportunities to score, they just relished on it… We took our walks when we needed to today, and then the people that needed to execute in the moments did, and that felt really good,” she said.
Arizona got out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first. It was a cushion that the Wildcats hadn’t had all series.
“That felt good just to come out and be fighters today,” Lowe said. “We were going to figure out a way to score one more all day. So it was good to get the offense going a little bit.”
Caitlin Lowe thought the Wildcats played much more fundamentally sound in a 10-1 mercy rule win over UCF Sunday. @AllSportsTucson pic.twitter.com/HeLfoe5Lrm
— Kevin Murphy (@KevinMurfee) March 9, 2025
The four-run first inning for the Wildcats began when Dakota Kennedy hit a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the first, and with two outs and the bases loaded, Jenna Sniffen hit a two-run single-to-right field to extend the lead. An error by UCF right fielder Stormy Kotzelnick brought in another unearned run on the play.
Arizona (22-4, 1-2 Big 12) added six runs in the second to extend its lead to 10-0. After loading the bases against UCF reliever Katelyn Cochran, Yessenia Lopez took the circle. Lopez then hit Devyn Netz and Sydney Stewart with pitches to bring in two runs and Kaiah Altmeyer scored on a fielder’s choice. Then Sniffen came up big again with a two-run double through the left side. Tayler Biehl hit a one-run single to left for the final run in the frame.
run, Randi, run @mirstoddard & @DevynNetz come home on a double from @jennasniffenn to extend our lead! pic.twitter.com/kR5gEQTsnZ
— Arizona Softball (@ArizonaSoftball) March 9, 2025
Sniffen said the offense reverted back to a mentality at the plate the Wildcats played with throughout the non-conference schedule on Sunday.
“I think we did a good job of going back to who we are as an offense and being ourselves and being okay with taking small losses and translating it to big wins that worked out in our favor,” she said.
Ryan Maddox (3-0) made her second start this season in the circle for Arizona. She allowed one run off four hits with two strike outs.
The redshirt freshman sat out all last season due to injury.
“It was great. I’m so glad to be back,” Maddox said. It was a long recovery, and to be out there with my team, and just having their back on the field is amazing.”
Ryan Maddox picked up her third win and Jenna Sniffen went 2 for 3 with 4 RBIs Sunday. @AllSportsTucson pic.twitter.com/IzTew9FdOL
— Kevin Murphy (@KevinMurfee) March 9, 2025
Lowe was impressed with how Maddox controlled the circle all game.
“The pace set by Ryan today, I think was a really big deal,” she said.
Sierra Humphreys hit a solo home run in the bottom of the third to get UCF (19-8-1, 2-1 Big 12) on the board, accounting for its only run.
Arizona plays Utah State (13-8) on Monday at noon 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.
Recommended for you
