In one of its toughest road swings of the season, the top-ranked Wildcat softball team managed to keep its perfect Pac-10 record intact by sweeping the Bay Area teams this weekend.
Yesterday's game against No. 4 California lasted eight innings and ended after freshman center fielder Caitlin Lowe scored on a wild pitch by Cal pitcher Kelly Anderson in the top of the eighth to give the Wildcats (43-1, 7-0 Pacific 10 Conference) a 3-2 edge.
Arizona ace Alicia Hollowell, who pitched every inning of every game this weekend, took care of the rest and struck out the side to end it. For the day, Hollowell gave up four hits while striking out eight and walking six. Both runs were unearned.
"The key for today was an outstanding day from Alicia. As long as she keeps throwing that way we are going to be in great shape," acting head coach Larry Ray said.
Arizona scored its first run in the top of the second inning when junior third baseman Jackie Coburn singled to right field to score freshman shortstop Kristie Fox from second base. In the third, Cal (37-8, 4-5) answered back when Jessica Pamaninan scored on a two-out error by senior second baseman Samantha Quintero.
In the fifth, sophomore left fielder Autumn Champion scored on a bases-loaded walk to Fox. But Cal answered again, scoring on an error by junior right fielder Crystal Farley in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 2-2. Both teams committed two errors, with each error leading to a run.
It took eight innings to defeat Cal on Saturday, too. UA senior catcher Mackenzie Vandergeest belted a two-out, two-run homer in the top of the eighth, her 13th dinger of the year. The Wildcats held their own in the bottom half of the inning to win 2-0.
Offensively, the Wildcats mustered five hits, while the Bears were held to two.
Lowe led off the inning with a double to left field and advanced to third on a sacrifice fly by senior designated player Wendy Allen. Vandergeest took Cal pitcher Kristina Thorston deep to pick up her ninth and 10th RBIs since Pac-10 play began April 3, a span of six games.
Hollowell struck out 10 and gave up two hits - one in each of the first two innings. It marked the 22nd time in 29 starts this season that Hollowell struck out at least 10.
"I told them today I was proud of the way they came back. We put ourselves in a position to win, and I was very pleased. This team finds a way to win," Ray said.
Arizona had faced No. 9 Stanford (34-11, 5-4) twice this season in the Worth Wildcat Invitational, and got the better of the Cardinal again by beating them 8-0 in six innings Friday.
It didn't take long for the bats to heat up in Friday's game as the Wildcats got their first two batters on base in the first. Allen hit a three-run homer to give Arizona an early 3-0 lead.
In the second, Vandergeest hit a bases-loaded single, scoring Lowe and Champion to bring the lead to 5-0.
After a Stanford pitching change in the third, Laura Severson held the Wildcats scoreless until the fifth inning, when sophomore first baseman Shelly Schultz hit a two-out solo home run to left field to make it 6-0.
Hollowell struck out seven and walked one for her 28th victory of the season.
"I definitely thought, looking at the schedule, it was going to be tough," said Ray of the Bay Area trip. "We're looking for another good battle when they come to Tucson."