Rating:

0.0 (0 votes)

TUCSON - University of Arizona Wildcat Softball (5-3) swept its first two games of the Hillenbrand Invitational defeating UAB and North Dakota, 7-0 and 14-2, respectively.

Complete Hillenbrand Invitational Schedule

Friday, Feb. 17
Western Kentucky 9, North Dakota 2
Southern Utah 5, Western Kentucky 4
UAB 2, Southern Utah 0
Arizona 7, UAB 0
Arizona 14, North Dakota 2

Saturday, Feb. 18
10:00 a.m. Southern Utah vs. North Dakota
12:00 p.m. UAB vs. North Dakota
2:00 p.m. UAB vs. Western Kentucky
4:00 p.m. Arizona vs. Western Kentucky
6:00 p.m. Arizona vs. Southern Utah

Sunday, Feb. 19
9:00 a.m. UAB vs. Western Kentucky
11:00 a.m. North Dakota vs. Southern Utah
1:00 p.m. Arizona vs. Southern Utah

Game 1: Arizona 7, UAB 0

Behind a one-hit shutout by Kenzie Fowler, the Wildcats downed UAB (4-2) 7-0.

Fowler earned her first win of the season in her first complete-game effort. The junior struck out 11 batters and retired 15 of the final 16 batters she faced; the only Blazer to reach base did so on a UA error in the seventh, sandwiched between three Fowler strikeouts in the frame.

UA scored all seven runs on home runs; Kristen Arriola hit a grand slam in the third and Jessica Spigner hit a three-run home run in the sixth.

The Cats were assisted by eight walks issued by UAB pitchers. Leigh Streetman took the loss, falling to 1-1 on the season.

Three free passes by each pitcher loaded the bases for both offenses in the first. Neither club could take advantage as the teams traded zeros in the inning.

UA would not record its first hit until the bottom of the third when Lini Koria recorded an infield hit which followed two Streetman walks to load the bases. Kristen Arriola made her pay with a grand slam to left field, her first homer of the season.

A walk and an error put two runners on for Spigner who went deep to left; her third home run of the season put Arizona ahead 7-0.

Game 2: Arizona 14, North Dakota 2 (5 Innings)

Shelby Pendley used a couple of home runs and a double to plate eight runs as UA needed five innings to down North Dakota (3-3), 14-2.

Arizona scored five runs in each of the first two innings to put the game out of reach early; Pendley was responsible for three of the five runs in both innings with three-run home runs in each frame.

Shelby Babcock allowed two runs on five hits while improving to 3-3 on the season. Babcock, the Pac-12's leader in strikeouts, struck out seven of the 19 batters she faced.

Hallie Wilson recorded her first of her two doubles on the night (adding to her league-leading two-bagger total of seven on the season) to lead off the game. A pair of free passes would load the bases and Spigner drove in Wilson with a sac-fly. A Lini Koria RBI single would be followed by the first three-run jack by Pendley. Arizona's five runs in the bottom of the first were in response to the Fighting Sioux's run in the top half, courtesy of a Brittany Baker RBI.

Similar to the first, Wilson began the second with a double to right center and Spigner drove her in with a productive out. Koria singled, Arriola was hit by a pitch and Pendley went yard to right field to give UA a 10-1 advantage in the second.

Classmates Pendley and Chelsea Goodacre drove in runs in the fourth as a part of the Wildcats' four run frame.