When you go to the same well three straight days, it might run dry. That happened for No. 11 Arizona softball in a 9-4 loss at BYU in game three of their Big 12 series. Lack of timely hits and shaky pitching kept the Wildcats from sweeping the series, although they secured the series win on Friday evening.
Freshman pitcher Ryan Maddox looked a bit shaky from the beginning. Her team gave her a 3-0 lead in the top of the first off a Devyn Netz home run, but she had a hard time retiring batters.
In the bottom of the first, she allowed two to reach on a hit and a walk. She went to at least a 2-2 count on three of the five batters she faced and had three balls on two of the five. She went to a 3-ball count on six of the 18 batters she faced in her 3.1 innings of work.
Arizona put one more run up in the second to take the 4-0 lead, but BYU got one back on a leadoff home run in the bottom of the inning. An unassisted double play by Netz at first base helped keep the damage to a minimum, but it was just the beginning of Arizona’s pitching problems.
Maddox was lifted with one out in the fourth. She gave up three earned runs on six hits and two walks. She also threw a wild pitch. She left with two runners in scoring position.
It didn’t get better when Maddox was relieved. Saya Swain came in with runners on second and third and just one out. She allowed both inherited runners to score and gave up two more that were her responsibility. When the fourth inning was over, Arizona trailed 5-4.
When Swain walked the first batter of the fifth, it was time for Netz to take over in the circle for the third straight day. Arizona’s all-everything had a perfect game on Thursday and got the win on Friday when the other Wildcat pitchers struggled. It was a lot to ask.
Despite a spectacular weekend, Netz couldn’t come through this time. She sat down the three batters she faced in the fifth but couldn’t do the same in the sixth.
Netz got the first out but gave up a single and a walk after that. A double followed, tacking on two more runs for the Cougars. The next hit was a two-run home run to make it a 9-4 BYU lead.
It wasn’t just about the pitching, though. Arizona failed to score after the second inning. Sydney Stewart had a leadoff double in the third that ended with no runs. She drew a one-out walk in the fifth that also led to nothing.
The Wildcats got two on with one out in the sixth when Kiki Escobar and Dakota Kennedy singled. With the BYU lead still at one, they had the chance to tie or take the lead. Regan Shockey sacrificed both runners over, bringing up Kaiah Altmeyer with two outs and two in scoring position. Altmeyer went down swinging.
Arizona loaded the bases with one out in the seventh. Once again, it was Stewart getting things going. Her single was followed by one off the bat of Miranda Stoddard. Tayler Biehl walked to fill the bases. A popup and a strikeout ended the game.
Arizona also committed two errors in the game, both by Shockey.
The Wildcats collected 10 hits and five walks but left 11 runners on base. They were led offensively by Stewart, Stoddard, and Dakota Kennedy with multi-hit games. Stewart went 2 for 2 with two walks. Stoddard was 2 for 4. Kennedy ended 2 for 3 with one walk.
Netz was only 1 for 4 at the plate but her one hit was a big one. She led the team with three RBI on her first-inning home run. Altmeyer had the only other RBI for UA.
Swain took the loss to drop her record to 3-3. All three of Arizona’s pitchers gave up a home run on a day that was cold, windy, and rainy.
The Wildcats (31-6, 8-4) need to figure out the pitching and hitting issues before next weekend when No. 17 Oklahoma State (21-9, 4-3) comes to town. The Cowgirls have not been as strong as expected this season but they still feature Ruby Meylan, one of the top pitchers in the game.
Lead photo courtesy of Arizona Athletics