UA Wildcats softball
UA softball routs Pima in 5 innings
The University of Arizona softball team defeated Pima in five innings 14-1 Wednesday in an exhibition game at Hillenbrand Stadium.
Kenzie Fowler got the start for Arizona and gave up a hit to the first batter she faced, Aubrey Noorda before recording clean slate, recording only two walks but no hits over the next 13 batters faced. She was relieved by Shelby Babcock who gave up Pima's only run, an RBI double by Jessica Sipe.
The Wildcats were carried by the long ball early; the UA's first five runs were via homers. Stacie Chambers knocked a grand slam in the first and Brigette Del Ponte had a solo shot in the third.
The teams played on after the five-inning run-rule, and though the stats or score does not count from the final two innings, it is noteworthy that Fowler and Alex Lavine each picked up homers in the unscored innings.
Chambers finished the game 1-for-1 with four RBI and three runs scored.
Brittany Lastrapes, Karissa Buchanan and Brigette Del Ponte started things off as each of them knocked singles to load the bases for Stacie Chambers. The senior nailed a grand slam to break things open before Pima recorded an out.
Del Ponte led off the bottom of the third with a solo shot over the right-center field wall. The Cats kept it going with a walk and four straight singles to plate two more. Two outs later, the bases were loaded for Lastrapes who knocked a double over the head of Pima center fielder Aubrey Noorda that scored two. Buchanan kept it going with an RBI-single to center; Arizona was aided by a Noorda error that scored another. After three innings, UA led 11-0.
A Chambers walk started off the bottom of the fourth for the Cats. Pima got two straight outs and appeared to have the third before Tiffany Ibarra let a tough grounder trickle into left field to keep the inning alive. The Wildcats took advantage, Victoria Kemp doubled, Becca Tikey singled and Ashlee Brawley doubled as the Cats tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Pima got on the board in the top of fifth when Babcock walked Mari Contreras and she was doubled in by Sipe.
Up next: Arizona takes on the Wildcat Alumni at 8:00 p.m. on Friday. Admission is free and seating is first-come, first-served.
