Following a 13-1 run-rule win on Thursday, Arizona softball was looking for back to back wins against BYU on Friday. Not only was it looking for another win over BYU, Arizona was looking for its seventh straight run-rule victory.
The Wildcats used a 6-run third inning to propel themselves to an 8-0 sub, securing the series over BYU.
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“I’m proud of them for putting a team away,” said head coach Caitlin Lowe on the win. “That’s a very good team, and I thought today was a gritty win because they left a lot of runners on base, and we put ourselves in a lot of situations that we played great defense in today.”
The Cougars were able to single out to center field and steal second base. However, Rylie Holder responded with two strikeouts and forced a ground out to hold BYU scoreless.
A line out started the bottom of the first for Arizona, but Serenti Trice was the first Wildcat to get on base with a single. Tayler Biehl doubled to left center field and that brought Trice all the way home, mainly due to her quick feet.
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Biehl ended up being stranded on third after a ground out and pop up, but the Wildcats took a 1-0 lead into the second inning.
BYU got its second hit of the game with a single through the left side of the infield. A walk and a sac bunt put the Cougars in scoring position. It was a defensive adjustment and strong infield play that allowed Arizona to get out of the top of the second with its 1-0 lead still intact.
The Wildcats could not add to their lead in the bottom of the second. BYU got to work right away and started the third inning with a single for their third hit of the game. After a fly out and a line out, Arizona was in position to keep the Cougars scoreless.
A second single allowed another BYU runner to get to third but once again the Wildcats defense came through and kept BYU off the scoreboard.
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It did not take long for Arizona to find the scoreboard once again. Regan Shockey singled and was quickly brought home by a Trice triple. Biehl was then able to bring Trice home yet again with a single to left field and then proceeded to steal second base.
“She’s always, honestly, she’s always been a great base stealer,” said Lowe on Biehl. “I think people have Regan and Bitty circled as the base stealers on the team. So sometimes Tayler floats under the radar a little bit, but she’s got great speed and great jumps.”
After Sydney Stewart and Grace Jenkins were both walked, Anyssa Wild came to the plate with the bases loaded. With a full count, Wild singled up the middle to bring in Biehl and Stewart to put the Wildcats in full control.
A couple of ground outs did not stop Arizona from putting more runs on the scoreboard. Addison Duke brought Jenkins and Wild home and the Wildcats went into the fourth inning with a 7-0 lead.
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Following a BYU single, Holder’s day ended after an unfortunate turn of events. On the fourth pitch of the second at bat of the inning, a ball hit Holder on the left side of the head and broke a part of her mask off.
Holder was able to walk off the field on her own, but her day finished right there and then. Jenae Berry was brought to the mound but Jalen Adams quickly replaced her.
Two BYU batters were able to get on base before Adams was put in, but Adams stranded them with a strikeout and two forced fly outs.
Trice was walked to start the bottom of the fourth, and for the third time it was Biehl who brought Trice all the way home from first to put the Wildcats in position for another run-rule victory going into the top of the fifth inning.
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“I feel like we have a great, great connection right now, going on defense and hitting too,” said Biehl. “I know that her speed is gonna get her to score regardless. So it takes a lot of pressure off.”
Adams got Arizona to the finish line with a quick pop up and back to back ground outs. The Wildcats will go for the series sweep on Saturday at noon, and possibly the eighth straight run-rule win.
“We never talk about run rolls,” said Lowe. “We do talk about winning pitches, winning innings and just always trying to respond when we do get punched.”
One question for Arizona is if it will have Holder available moving forward.
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“Just trusting in our medical staff, knowing that we have the best staff in the country, and just believing she’s going to be okay, but also focusing our attention on the next out, and believing in our next pitchers that are coming in and putting our full energy into them,” said Wild.