TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona Softball opened the
Caitlin Lowe era with a 22-1 win in five innings over Southern Utah on Thursday night. This was the largest opening-day win in program history and the first time Arizona has scored 22 runs in a game since 2019.
The Wildcats (1-0) scored 22 runs on 18 hits.
Allie Skaggs,
Carlie Scupin and
Izzy Pacho hit home runs and the Cats had five players with three-or-more RBI.
Jasmine Perezchica went 3-for-4 and had a career-high four RBI to lead Arizona. Janelle Meoño also went 3-for-4 with a stolen base.
Opening-day starter
Hanah Bowen (1-0) picked up the win, allowing one hit – a solo homer – over three otherwise perfect innings. Bowen struck out five in the start.
Jessie Fontes pitched two perfect innings in relief, striking out four of the six batters she faced.
The Cats were electric in the second inning, scoring 10 runs to take a 10-1 lead over the Thunderbirds. Perezchica led the charge with a three-run double, sending
Hannah Martinez,
Sophia Carroll and
Paige Dimler home.
Blaise Biringer followed with a single to centerfield, scoring Perezchica. A
Sharlize Palacios RBI fielder's choice sent Meoño home. Skaggs and Scupin hit back-to-back home runs followed by a single from Martinez to score Dimler.
In the third inning, Arizona scored three runs. Scupin picked up her second hit of the night to score Skaggs and pinch-runner
Allie Enright. Perezchica sent
Giulia Koutsoyanopulos home on a single to take a 13-1 lead.
Koutsoyanopulos and Palacios each hit their first career triples in the fourth inning. Koutsoyanopulos scored Skaggs, Palacios, and
Blaise Biringer to kick off the fourth inning.
Izzy Pacho hit her fourth career home run for a two-run shot to go up 20-1. Palacios' triple scored Meoño and Perezchica. Palacios then scored on a wild pitch to secure the 22-1 win.
Southern Utah (0-1) scored first with a home run from Reilly Williams in the first inning. Despite the early home run, the Thunderbirds never made it on base.
Up Next:
Arizona kicks off the inaugural Candrea Classic against Southern Utah on Friday, February 11 at 6 p.m. MST.
