No. 13 Arizona never recovered from an early four-run deficit to No.14 Texas Tech, and the Red Raiders pulled away to a 10-1 win in five innings on Friday night at Hillenbrand Stadium.
Arizona got off to a shaky start from the get-go when starter Aissa Silva gave up a leadoff home run to Mihyia Davis on the second pitch of the game. Silva then walked Hailey Toney. With one out, Alexa Langeliers singled and Lauren Allred walked to load the bases, prompting Ryan Maddox to relieve Silva in the circle.
The first batter Maddox faced was Alana Johnson, who singled to center to bring a run in. Demi Elder flew out to right field, but Allred and Langeliers scored after an errant throw by Kaiah Altmeyer, extending the Red Raiders lead to 4-0.
Arizona head coach Caitlin Lowe said the decision to start Silva was based on Texas Tech’s lineup laden with left-handed hitters, which are usually favorable matchups for her.
“She was a perfect matchup for this team,” Lowe said. “She didn’t come out and execute, so we had to get her out of the game quickly. But I’m hoping that she responds tomorrow. She’s still a good matchup.”
Arizona had four hits all game, only one of which came after NiJaree Canady took the circle in the second inning. The Wildcats stranded five runners on base, had three errors, and all three of its pitchers struggled.
“It wasn’t one person. It was everyone. So, I think at the end of the day, you have to get punched, you have to get back up and you have to throw punches. So that’s our challenge tomorrow,” Lowe said.
Caitlin Lowe after 10-1 loss to Texas Tech: “We played bad softball all around. It wasn't one person. It was everyone… You have to get punched, you have to get back up and you have to throw punches. So that's our challenge tomorrow.” @AllSportsTucson pic.twitter.com/1l5Y4bMpmz
— Kevin Murphy (@KevinMurfee) April 19, 2025
Arizona (37-8, 14-6 Big 12) started the bottom half of the first with a pair of singles — a bunt from Dakota Kennedy and a slap to shortstop from Regan Shockey — getting one run back off a sacrifice fly by Devyn Netz.
Emily Schepp opened the bottom of the second inning with a single up the middle off Texas Tech starting pitcher Chloe Riassetto. Then the Red Raiders opted to go to their ace, Canady.
Arizona squeaked out a 2-1 win over Texas Tech in game one of the series on Thursday, battling against Canady for five hits and two walks. On Friday, it was a different story. Canady got out of a jam in the second and she shut down the offense for the remainder of the game.
After Canady recorded an out, Tayler Biehl was hit by a pitch to put two runners on for the Wildcats. On what looked to be a routine fielder’s choice, Kiki Escobar reached first on an infield grounder after Langeliers dropped the ball on a sure out at second, loading the bases.
Texas Tech (35-10, 15-2 Big 12) escaped the inning unscathed after Canady responded by striking out Kennedy and Shockey grounded out to shortstop.
The Red Raiders added two runs in the top of the third to extend the lead to 6-1 off a sacrifice bunt from Johnson and an RBI double from Elder.
Texas Tech tacked on another run in the top of the fourth when Miranda Stoddard gave up a single through the left side to make it a 7-1 game.
In the top of the fifth, Texas Tech added three runs on two errors in a variety of scenarios that started when the first three batters reached base by way of a fielding error, a single and Elder being hit by a pitch.
The runs came by way of a fielder’s choice RBI by Victoria Valdez, an unearned run on a fielding error that scored Elder and a bunt from Toney to bring home Valdez and extend Texas Tech’s lead to 10-1.
Silva (3-1) allowed four runs off two hits with two walks before being pulled with one out in the first inning.
Arizona plays Texas Tech in the rubber match on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. on Senior Day.
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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