KEVIN KLAUS/Arizona Daily Wildcat Arizona sophomore pitcher Jenny Gladding winds up for a pitch yesterday afternoon against Eastern Michigan at Hillenbrand Stadium. The Wildcats beat the Eagles for the second time in four days, 10-0.

Gladding strikes out 9 in shutout win

Having to use your entire pitching rotation is never a good sign and yesterday was no exception for the Eastern Michigan softball team.

Thanks to another explosion by the Arizona (18-2) offense, the Eagles were forced to use three pitchers in a 10-0 loss at Hillenbrand Stadium.

Arizona sophomore Jenny Gladding again took to the circle against Eastern Michigan (2-6) and shut down its offense by having her best outing of the year.

Gladding (7-2) struck out nine and pitched her first game this season without allowing a walk.

Even though she had just faced the Eagles four days before, the sophomore approached this game no different than the first.

"I went into (this game) pretty much the same way," Gladding said. "They're a good team and they swing the bat hard. I just wanted to go out and work on some things."

Head coach Mike Candrea agreed that yesterday's outing was an important one for Gladding.

"It was a really good day I think for Jenny Gladding," Candrea said. "I saw some good things out of her with the rise ball and the off-speed pitch."

For a team of Arizona's caliber, matching up for one game against a lesser opponent such as Eastern Michigan may seem like a waste of valuable practice time.

Candrea, though, recognizes the importance of playing in a mid-week game for a pitcher rather than spending time throwing in the bullpen during practice.

"For a pitcher this (game) is great because it's tough to work on those things in the bullpen when you really need to be able to bring it into a game situation," he said.

Arizona got its offense going in the second inning when sophomore designated player Leneah Manuma and Gladding both walked to start the inning.

Sophomore catcher Mackenzie Vandergeest followed suit with an RBI single, scoring freshman pinch runner Rebekah Quiroz.

Vandergeest, who finished the day 2-for-2, feels that her early season hitting woes are on their way out the door.

"I think I'm coming back," said a smiling Vandergeest. "I'm feeling a lot better and more confident.

The Wildcats would add two more runs in the inning when junior shortstop Lovie Jung doubled to center, scoring freshman outfielders Crystal Farley and Allyson Von Liechtenstein to cap off a four-run inning for Arizona.

Arizona got its offense going again in the third inning when it batted around and scored five runs.

Von Liechtenstein highlighted the inning with an opposite-field single to left, scoring Gladding and Vandergeest.

In all, Candrea said he was glad his team bounced back after the long weekend.

"My biggest concern was a letdown - that we'd come out flat and not prepared to play," he said. "Obviously I did not see that, and that's a good sign."

Arizona is at home again this weekend for the Hillenbrand Invitational. Their first game will be Friday at 3 p.m. against Southern Mississippi.