By
Brett Erickson
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Wildcats 22-0 after another win against W. Michigan
The Arizona softball team got a glimpse of what could be a very bright future last night as Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium.
Freshmen Jenny Gladding, Mackenzie Vandergeest and Kim Balkan all played key roles in No. 2 Arizona's 9-0 victory against Western Michigan. The 65-minute contest was the second straight game in which the Wildcats defeated the Broncos due to the NCAA's mercy rule, and the 14th time overall that Arizona has ended a game early.
Gladding (7-0) was overpowering in the pitching circle, striking out 10 while not allowing a walk. The only two hitters to reach were the first two of the game, as Gladding hit Broncos leadoff hitter Andrea Kellicut and then gave up a bunt single to Alaina Scott.
She settled down from there and retired the next 15 batters.
"The first inning I was just getting warmed up," said Gladding, who pitched through windy and chilly conditions. "After that I felt pretty strong."
The freshman from Palm City, Fla. also helped herself out offensively. After Balkan singled to open the second inning, Gladding hit a long home run that bounced off the pool wall beyond center field to give Arizona a 3-0 lead.
Arizona tacked on three more runs in the inning. Senior Erica Hanson, who started in place of regular left fielder Nicole Giordano because she was late to the game, doubled to right-center field. After senior Lauren Bauer tripled to score Hanson, Vandergeest crushed a two-run homer to left field.
The home run was Vandergeest's 10th of the season. Vandergeest was also responsible for Arizona's first run of the game in the opening inning, as her triple scored senior Toni Mascarenas, who had reached base on a walk.
Like the second inning, Balkan opened the third inning by getting on base for Arizona (22- 0), this time via a walk. With two outs, Bauer plated Balkan with a double. Mascarenas then singled to score Allison Andrade, who had walked earlier, and Bauer, giving the Wildcats a 9-0 lead that would stand up for the rest of the game.
"I'm getting better at looking for my pitches," said Balkan, who has been working on her hitting with head coach Mike Candrea before practices lately.
Besides Giordano, Candrea also held regular catcher Lindsey Collins out of the lineup to give her an extra day of rest before this weekend's Hillenbrand Invitational Tournament. Doing so allowed Candrea to showcase the talents of some of the players who see limited playing time.
"Everyone on this team can play," he said. "My toughest job is to find opportunities for all of them to get their at-bats and get some quality time."
While the Wildcats have enjoyed some easy wins against non-conference opponents during the last two weeks, this weekend's tournament should give them a better measuring stick.
Arizona opens the tournament tomorrow against No. 22 Baylor (19-4) and also faces defending national champion and fifth-ranked Oklahoma Sunday afternoon.
