TUCSON, Ariz. – The Wildcats run-ruled Long Beach State in both games of the doubleheader on Thursday night. Arizona won the first game 8-0 and the second game 11-3, both in five innings.
Three Wildcats hit home runs during the day.
Allie Skaggs hit two,
Carlie Scupin had one, and
Kaiah Altmeyer hit her first career homer.
Game 1 | Arizona 8, LBSU 0 (5 innings)
Arizona started the doubleheader with an 8-0 win over the Beach. Three home runs pushed the Cats to their first mercy rule victory of the day.
Dakota Kennedy,
Regan Shockey, and Skaggs each recorded two hits in the game.
The Cats scored four runs in the first inning. Following a leadoff double from Kennedy, Scupin hit her fourth home run of the season to put Arizona up 2-0. Skaggs followed with a two-run home run – her first of the season – to give Arizona a 4-0 lead.
In the second inning, Arizona plated four to extend its lead to 8-0. Altmeyer hit her first career home run – a three-run shot to right center. Skaggs then hit an RBI double to plate Arizona's eighth run of the game.
Miranda Stoddard picked up her second win of the season, pitching 4.0 innings and allowing just two hits.
Ali Blanchard entered the circle in the fifth inning to hold the Beach scoreless.
Game 2 | Arizona 11, LBSU 3 (5 innings)
The Wildcats won the second game of the day, 11-3, in five innings against LBSU. Shockey tallied two hits and Skaggs hit her second home run of the day.
Arizona plated four in the first inning for the early lead. With Kennedy and Scupin on base,
Olivia DiNardo drove home Kennedy and Scupin scored on a fielding error by the Beach. Altmeyer followed with an RBI groundout and Skaggs hit her home run for the fourth run of the inning.
In the third inning, Arizona scored two runs on a two-RBI fielder's choice from
Logan Cole.
Long Beach State scored three runs in the fourth to break Arizona's pitchers' 33-inning scoreless streak. The Wildcats plated one in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single from
Tayler Biehl.
The Cats secured the run-rule win after scoring four runs in the fifth. A pair of RBI doubles from Biringer and Shockey scored the first two runs of the inning. With the bases loaded, Scupin drew an RBI hit-by-pitch to bring the Cats within one of the run-rule. Arizona walked-off the Beach on a wild pitch.
Brooke Mannon (2-0) earned the win after pitching 3.0 innings. Stoddard picked up the save – her first of the season – after pitching the final 1.2 innings and allowing only two hits.
Up Next
Arizona will continue the Bear Down Fiesta on Friday, Feb. 16 with a doubleheader against Arkansas and Omaha. The Cats will play the Razorbacks at 4 p.m. and the Mavericks at 6 p.m. MST.
