(Tucson, AZ) Kent State last played the Wildcats Friday night in a 10-0 run rule through five innings in a dominating night for Gina Snyder who struck out seven Golden Flashes through four innings of work. Needless to say, Kent State didn’t really have any chances to put runs on the board against Snyder. Since that loss Kent State had played James Madison in the Wildcat Invitational and dropped the game 8-1 against the James Madison Dukes. Arizona would turn to freshman pitcher Vanessa Foreman as she got her first start of the season.
Foreman would start the game a little shaky giving up a run in the top of the first. It wouldn’t get any easier for Foreman as the game went on, in the third inning Foreman loaded the bases forcing Coach Candrea to turn to Freshman Marissa Schuld to get out of the jam. Should was unable to get out of the inning without giving up a hit that put three runs across for Kent State giving the Flashes the early 4-0 lead in full control of the game.
Offense struggled to find their way early in the game against Kent State, the at-bats seemed rushed and over thought. Finally, in the third inning the Cats got things going with a two-run homerun from Dejah Mulipola her sixth homer of the season cut the Flashes 4-2 going into the fourth inning.
In the top of the fourth Schuld came out throwing darts striking out the first batter of the inning. Schuld would prove to be a calming force in the circle as she retired the side in order not giving Kent State any hope of adding to their 4-2 lead. The defense also helped Schuld out with a couple of key plays in the out field to prevent a runner reaching base.
In the bottom of the fourth inning Arizona’s offense would keep on pace stringing together at-bats to add three runs on the board for the Cats. This time is wasn’t the long bomb for Arizona, instead the big hit was a two-run triple by Alyssa Palomino-Cardoza tying the game up at four all. The very next batter Reyna Carranco hit a screaming shot in the left center gap to score the run from third giving the Cats their first lead of the game.
Arizona would later add on another run from another homerun from Mulipola her scored homer of the game extending the Wildcats lead to 6-4. Arizona’s offense accepted the challenge of the early 4-0 deficit and battled their way back.
It was smooth sailing for Schuld through the fourth, fifth and sixth inning, eventually she ran into trouble in the seventh. Schuld couldn’t record in out before the Flashes were able to load the bases putting Arizona’s two run lead in jeopardy. With things in doubt Coach Candrea would make another pitching change, this time to Gina Snyder looking to hold Arizona’s 6-4 lead. Snyder would get out of the inning but not until the Flashes were able to tie the game up a six to put the game into the bottom of the seventh.
Arizona had one of their big bats at the plate to start the seventh in Harper who had already homered earlier in the day against Minnesota. Harper would waste no time at getting on base, or so Arizona though. Harper hit a scorching line drive down the third base line near the bag, the umpires would soon after rule the hit foul sending harper back to the plate. She would end the at-bat with a strikeout swing on a two and two count. The Wildcats would come up empty forcing the game into extra innings.
With the new rules in tournament play like the Wildcat Invitational teams will now start the inning with a runner at second in hopes of shortening up extra inning play. This rule is just for tournaments and not going to be implemented during the regular season. The Cats would turn to Taylor McQuillin to shutdown the Flashes offense with the new base running rule in place. McQuillin would sit down the side in order and end the eighth inning on a strikeout putting an exclamation point on her domination of the Kent State order.
The Wildcats in their bottom half of the inning would pinch run Hanah Bowen in replace of Malia Martinez to put more speed on the bases for the Cats. With that Arizona had Izzy Pacho up to the plate looking to move the runner over from second to third. Early in the at-bat a wild pitch help the Cats move the runner over putting even more pressure on the Kent State pitcher. This was the perfect situation for Tamara “T” Statman to walk it off for the Wildcats. Statman was just looking to put the ball in play, and she did just that hitting a ground ball to first to score the game winning run giving the Cats the 7-6 win over Kent State.
The win puts Arizona at (14-5) on the season with just one more game in the Wildcat Invitational against #18 James Madison Sunday afternoon.
