The Arizona softball team faced off against Drake on Thursday afternoon and won both games of a doubleheader, 7-6 and 7-1, in the Bear Down Fiesta event at Hillenbrand Stadium.
Syndey Stewart walked off the first game for Arizona, smashing a ball over the center field wall and bringing Reagan Shockey home from second base.
“Seeing and getting my pitch. Not trying to get to big,” Stewart said about her mentality before walking off the game. “A home run isn’t the goal but it’s just the result of a good plan.”
While players like Stewart, Shockey, and Seriniti Trice stood out combining for 13 of 22, and a ton of scores, the Wildcats (5-2) also had some miscues.
Tayler Biehl, the usually sure-handed shortstop, had three errors across the two games as well as Kiki Escobar having one that led to the lone run for Drake in the second game.
“Defensively, that’s completely unlike us, but at the same time, if we don’t show up and we’re not mentally locked in and ready to play, then that’s going to happen to anybody,” Arizona coach Caitlin Lowe said about the mistakes. “Props to Drake they came out and swung the bat well, (and) they pitched well. They’re a feisty team.”
Jenae Berry came into the afternoon after a tough weekend last week against Oklahoma, and gave up a home run to the first batter of the day.
The Wilcats were able to get a run back thanks to the Shockey taking advantage of an error by Frankie Rita after a Trice bunt to come in from second.
Berry had another tough inning giving up a two-run shot that went over the center field wall before stranding two runners in scoring position while closing out the side.
Arizona continued battling after Trice got on base and was moved to third following a Stewart double. She made it all the way home after a sacrifice fly by Grace Jenkins.
The fourth inning was quiet but things ramped up in the fifth inning for Drake, which got a walk followed up by an error by Biehl. That allowed the runners to advance to second and third base.
Pearson Hall hit a sacrifice fly to score Lilli Gonzalez, who was at third. Kiley Kindelspire advanced to third.
Drake kept the line going with Tatum Aragorn putting down a bunt that got Kindelspire home, followed by Malea Yoxsimer doubling down the first base line allowing Aragorn to score from first.
Arizona did not go down quietly, closing the gap in the sixth inning thanks to a solo shot by Stewart, and Emma Kavanagh blasting one over the left field wall that scored Biehl from second base.
Jalen Adams stranded a runner on third before Stewart put the final touches on the Arizona comeback, rocketing a two-run home run that brought in Shockey.
“We were backed into a wall a little bit and it was our choice if we were going to fight or not (after) I think I saw a lack of that in the first game,” Lowe said about the difference between the two games. “We had some bright spots throughout, but until it’s a collective punch of a performance, we’re not going to be where we want to go.”
In the second game, the Wildcats jumped on Drake early putting up two scores in the first inning with Shockey hitting a single and stealing second before Trice brought her in with a triple.
Stewart followed that with a sacrifice fly that scored Trice.
While things quieted down in the second inning, they picked back up in the third with Grace Jenkins crushing a ball over the center field wall to bring in Trice and Stewart.
Arizona stayed hot with Sina Talataina hitting a leadoff double before Molli Daley came in as a pinch runner.
Addison Duke was able to bring in Daley from third on a groundout to shortstop.
The Wildcats took advantage of an error by Yoxsimer allowing Shockey to reach base again before being brought home on a double from Trice.
The Bulldogs showed some fight, scoring in the fifth with Rita getting home from second on a throw that got away from Escobar.
Arizona was able to regain control and close out the game 7-1 without any more hiccups.
The Bear Down Fiesta will continue Friday with a slew of games before Arizona faces Costal Carolina at 5 p.m. at Hillenbrand.
“We need to show up as our best selves; I think that’s the biggest thing,” Lowe said about the preparation for Friday. “Show up ready to throw punches, ready to be the aggressor and set a tone for a game as opposed to playing on our heels.”
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