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AG's Wildcat Report - Dispatches on the Wildcats, from Anthony Gimino

Fowler wins debut for Arizona; Akamine fires a no-hitter

by on Feb. 12, 2010, under Sports
Akamine

Akamine

The Arizona softball team began the season Friday afternoon with a no-hitter in a 13-0 five-inning victory over Western Michigan at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe.

Senior Sarah Akamine, coming off offseason back surgery, threw the first no-hitter of her career, striking out three and walking one.

Coach Mike Candrea sent out touted freshman Kenzie Fowler to make her much-anticipated debut in Arizona’s second game of the day, against Purdue, which lost to the Wildcats in last season’s NCAA regionals.

Fowler came through with a one-hitter, striking out eight and walking two, in a 10-0 five-inning victory. Brittany Lastrapes, Stacie Chambers and freshman first baseman Baillie Kirker hit home runs against Purdue.

In the first game, Arizona scored 13 runs on only seven hits as two Western Michigan pitchers combined to walk 14 batters. UA junior centerfielder Lauren Schutzler went 2-for-2 with three RBIs. Shortstop K’Lee Arredondo was the other Wildcat with multiple hits, as she went 2-for-4 with three RBIs.

The Wildcats scored seven runs in the first and six in the fourth.

This entry was posted on Friday, February 12th, 2010 at 5:05 pm and is filed under Sports. Tags for this post: , , , , , , . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

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  • Mark B. Evans

    Monica Abbott better take a long, sentimental look at her pitching records. After four years, there’ll be a new name at the top – Kenzie Fowler.

    • Anthony Gimino

      After the first day, only 133 more victories to go before Fowler ties Alicia Hollowell’s school record.

      • Mark B. Evans

        She needs to win 35 games a year to pass Hollowel. I think that’s a given. She’ll get that this year, most likely as Akamine is an unlikely ace. She’s only 5-6 and was a fill-in pitcher her freshman and sophomore years. I think Fowler will get most of the starts this year and get at least 30 wins.
        But can she average 48 wins a year to pass Abbott? Abbott got that many wins because she was a giant with a rubber arm but also because Tennessee didn’t have anyone else.
        Candrea has top pitching prospects coming in next year, too, so Fowler might not get the starts to pass Abbott, but if she’s as dominant at UA as she has been in club ball (where she’s been playing against college talent) and in high school, she’ll pass Hollowell and threaten Abbott.

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