By
Brett Erickson
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Wildcats outscore opponents 66-2, increase season record to 15-0
The No. 3 Arizona softball team hit a new low at this weekend's Pepsi Classic Tournament - it gave up runs in more than one game.
Led by a balance of power and timely hitting, as well as outstanding pitching performances, the Wildcats (15-0) outscored their opponents 66-2 and coasted to a 5-0 record at Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium this weekend.
In yesterday's championship game against Pacific, freshman Mackenzie Vandergeest went 2 for 2 with a home run, double and 6 RBIs as Arizona downed the Tigers 9-0 in a mercy-rule shortened game.
Junior Jennie Finch (5-0) picked up the win, limiting Pacific (5-4) to two hits and striking out seven.
The Wildcats struck quickly in the first inning.
Senior Lauren Bauer singled to lead off, and senior Nicole Giordano followed with a walk. After each advanced a base on a passed ball, senior Toni Mascarenas hit a sacrifice fly to center field to score Bauer.
Senior Lindsey Collins followed by singling home Giordano, and after a single by Finch, Vandergeest recorded a RBI when she was hit in the head by Tigers' pitcher Cindy Ball.
Arizona followed its four-run first inning by adding two more runs in the second inning. After the first two batters were retired, redshirt freshman Leneah Manuma, Collins and Finch all walked, loading the bases for Vandergeest. The freshman from Thousand Oaks, Calif., delivered with a bloop double to left field, scoring Manuma and Collins.
Vandergeest wasn't done for the day, though, as her three-run homer -a line drive over the right field fence - in the fourth inning sealed the win for Arizona.
"Right now I'm doing well in that I can deal with where it's pitched," Vandergeest said of her opposite-field power.
The freshman's impressive outing capped off a productive weekend in which she went 11 for 17 with three home runs and 12 RBIs. She is now hitting .578 through her first 15 collegiate games.
"She stays inside the ball so well, and we're just really pleased with her," UA head coach Mike Candrea said.
Vandergeest wasn't the only player to excel this weekend for the Wildcats. Manuma belted four long balls and drove in 12 runs, while Mascarenas increased her team-high home run total to nine with two more shots.
Defensively, Arizona's rotation of Finch, senior Becky Lemke (6-0) and freshman Jenny Gladding (4-0) was nothing short of outstanding.
Besides shutting out Pacific, Finch did not allow a run Friday in the Wildcats' 7-0 win against Oklahoma State. She has not allowed a run all season.
Lemke combined with senior Teresa Demeter to throw a no-hitter in Arizona's first game of the tournament, a 29-0 trouncing of Bowling Green. Lemke came back Saturday and struck out 10 batters in a 9-1 victory against New Mexico State.
Gladding, meanwhile, gave up two hits in her only outing of the weekend, a 12-1 win over Kentucky, Saturday.
Of all the things Candrea had to be pleased about from Arizona's five wins - and there were plenty - he was particularly happy about the team's intensity.
"You take a normal team that comes out and hammers people early, they tend to get flat; they tend to overlook people and start playing the name game," Candrea said. "This team didn't do that this weekend."
Arizona swings into action this weekend at the Wildcat Invitational, beginning Friday at Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium.
