It’s off the Women’s College World Series again for the Arizona Wildcats. With pitcher Kenzie Fowler knocked out of the game after two batters when hit in the right forearm by a line drive, UA puts on its hitting shoes and gets a solid relief effort from Sarah Akamine.

Arizona dispatched BYU 10-2 in five innings, winning by the mercy rule.

Arizona will open Thursday at the World Series against Tennessee, which advanced by beating Michigan, which had been seeded second in the tournament.

Fowler appeared to be OK later in the game, as she made some warm-up throws in the bullpen. Check back later for postgame comments and reaction.

* * *
Arizona pads its lead in the top of the fourth, moving ever-so-close to its 22nd appearance in the Women’s College World Series in the past 23 seasons. The Wildcats scored five runs off Paige Affleck to take a 10-1 lead.

Brittany Lastrapes led off with a double and scored when K’Lee Arredondo singled to right field, where Delaney Willard bobbled the ball, allowing Lastrapes to come home.

Later in the inning, Brigette Del Ponte had an RBI single, Kristen Arriola had a two-run double and Baillie Kirker singled in Arriola.

The game will be over after five innings if UA leads by at least eight runs.

* * *
Arizona blows the game open in the top of the third with only one hit. BYU starter Christie Zinanti walked four batters, the last of which came on four pitches to Lini Koria, who, for the second time today, drove in a run with a bases-loaded walk. That was it for Zinanti, who got seven outs and walked seven batters.

The Wildcats got the hit they needed when Kristen Arriola followed by bouncing a hit back through the middle, driving in Stacie Chambers and Brigette Del Ponte. Arizona scored one more run when third baseman Angeline Quiocho mishandled Ballie Kirker’s grounder, allowing Koria to score to make it 5-1.

* * *
BYU ties the game at 1 in the bottom of the first. Sarah Akamine pitches well in relief of injured Kenzie Fowler, inheriting runners on first and second with no outs. Kristin Delahoussaye went to third on a fielder’s choice, and although Akamine struck out the next two batters, she also threw a wild pitch that allowed Delahoussaye to score.

* * *
The outlook for Game 2 — and perhaps the series — just changed as Arizona pitcher Kenzie Fowler took a line drive from the bat of J.C. Clayton off her right (pitching) forearm. Coaches and trainers came out to talk with Fowler, and coach Mike Candrea took her out of the game in favor of Sarah Akamine.

Also, little-used senior pitcher Ashley Ralston-Alvarez is warming up.

BYU has runners on first and second with no outs in the bottom of the first. Fowler is in the dugout with her forearm wrapped in ice.

* * *
BYU’s decision to start Christie Zinanti looks shaky, although she avoided major damage in the top of the first (Arizona is the designated visiting team). UA’s Brittany Lastrapes led off with an infield hit, and, with two outs, Zinanti walked Stacie Chambers and Brigette Del Ponte to load the bases.

Arizona’s Lini Koria took ball four on a 3-1 pitch to drive in a run.

The Wildcats, hoping for a big inning, had to settle for that one run, as Kristen Arriola grounded out to the pitcher to end the inning.

* * *
BYU coach Gordon Eakin is going with his No. 2 pitcher, senior Christie Zinanti, for today’s second game in the best-of-three Super Regional. Zinanti is 11-2 with a 3.29 ERA. She has pitched 93 2/3 innings this season, allowing 74 hits and striking out 90 while walking 75. She was the Mountain West Pitcher of the Year in 2009 when he had a 1.69 ERA.

Arizona coach Mike Candrea is staying with ace Kenzie Fowler, who was the winning pitcher in Friday’s opening game, 2-1.

Elsewhere in the Super Regionals, defending champion Washington bounced back to win two games Friday night against Oklahoma to advance to the Women’s College World Series. Huskies senior Danielle Lawrie pitched shutouts in both games. Georgia on Saturday eliminated Cal, which was one of six Pac-10 teams left in the tournament.

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 29th, 2010 at 1:17 pm and is filed under Sports. Tags for this post: Mike Candrea, UA softball. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.