Arizona outfielder Brittany Lastrapes had three hits as the Wildcats beat Hawaii in an elimination game Saturday night at the Women's College World Series/ESPN3.com screenshot
Can’t imagine there would be anything that could faze Arizona pitcher Kenzie Fowler. It’s as if she has turned the whole controversy at the Women’s College World Series upside down.
The more illegal pitches the umpires call, the better I pitch.
The Wildcats are marching on in Oklahoma City, winning two games Saturday in the losers’ bracket despite 12 more illegal pitches being called against Fowler, who couldn’t completely curtail her “leaping” issue from the pitching rubber. It’s against the rules for the pitcher to have both feet off the ground, resulting in a ball being called and allowing any runners to advance a base.
Whatever.
Fowler was the winning pitcher as Arizona hung on to eliminate Washington 4-3 Saturday afternoon, ending the career of the Huskies’ Danielle Lawrie, the two-time national player of the year. Saturday night, UA defeated Hawaii 5-1 as Fowler struck out 13. She recorded nine of the last 10 outs via strikeout.
It’s as if coach Mike Candrea said last week at the Super Regionals in Tucson. “She’s stable,” he said.
When Fowler was called for eight illegal pitches in an opening-round loss to Tennessee, she was understandably frustrated and thrown off rhythm, as umpires emphatically enforced a rule that had become less-emphasized as the regular-season wore on.
But you might as well have called her “Poker Face” in Saturday’s victories, even as those illegal pitches piled up and nearly led to a Washington comeback victory.
“She threw not like a freshman, but like a seasoned veteran,” Candrea said in the postgame press conference.
But it wasn’t all Fowler on Saturday. Candrea had wanted his Wildcats, who bowed out meekly from the World Series in two games last season, to show some fight. A lot of fight, actually.
They found their fight, and their hitting stroke, Saturday. Well, at least the Wildcats’ speedy left-handers found their hitting stroke.
As UA’s middle-of-the-order sluggers continue to struggle, Brittany Lastrapes, Lauren Schutzler, K’Lee Arredondo and Karissa Buchanan accounted for all 13 of Arizona’s hits on Saturday. Lastrapes got things started against Hawaii with a bunt hit to lead off the bottom of the first, and she came around to score on a sacrifice, an infield hit and a throwing error.
There used to be a cheer Arizona would sing from the dugout:
You get the first runner on
You bunt her over
You get a hit
You score
You win
That’s all.
That was a pretty good formula in the first inning against Hawaii, although Arizona still had more work to do after taking a 1-0 lead. Hawaii tied the game in the top of third on a home run, but the Wildcats responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning … and Fowler did the rest.
At Arizona, pitchers make or break reputations at the World Series. Fowler is well on the way to making hers.
She faces the daunting task of facing Tennessee against Sunday, with the Wildcats needing to beat the Vols — who are 2-0 at the Series — twice to advance to the best-of-three championship series. The first game Sunday begins at 12:30 p.m. Tucson time on ESPN.
Fowler
Pressure for Fowler?
What pressure?
Three years ago, Fowler was facing life-threatening blood-clots in her pitching shoulder.
Three weeks ago, her postseason was in doubt because of a pinched nerve in her neck that caused her pitching hand to swell.
Last week, she had to leave the game when she was hit by a line drive, turning her pitching forearm black and blue.
And now there have been 20 illegal pitches called in three games.
Seems like she can overcome adversity just fine.
The more illegal pitches the umpires call, the better I pitch.
