UCLA explodes late to beat Arizona softball, put UA’s hopes for top-8 seed in doubt
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After being blanked by
Alyssa Denham and
Devyn Netz in the fifth to take Saturday’s series finale, 7-2.
It was the first time all season the Wildcats used more than three pitchers in a game. Usually, they stick to one or two. Head coach
Mike Candrea said that was a predetermined decision.
“We have to try something to try to keep their hitters off balance and not expend our pitchers at this point, so that’s what happened,” he said.
May 16, 2021
SAN FRANCISCO The Pac-12 announced the Conference s 2021 softball award winners on Sunday, including yearly award recipients and All-Pac-12, All-Defensive and All-Freshman teams, as voted on by the league s coaches. UCLA’s
Rachel Garcia captured her third Pac-12 Player of the Year award, while Bruins head coach
Kelly Inouye-Perez earned her second Coach of the Year honor. WASHINGTON’s
Gabbie Plain was tabbed Pac-12 Pitcher of the Year and fellow Husky
Sis Bates was selected as Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year for the third time. Rounding out the group was ARIZONA’s
Janelle Meoño, who took home Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors.
Janelle Meoño named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year as 9 Arizona softball players earn all-conference honors
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Photo by Ryan Kelapire
Janelle Meoño was one of nine Arizona softball players to receive Pac-12 honors on Sunday. The UA outfielder was named the Pac-12 Freshman of Year and made the All-Pac-12 First Team after winning the conference’s batting title with a .442 average, 28 points higher than the next hitter.
The speedy slapper is the first Wildcat to be named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year since
Katiyana Mauga in 2014. The redshirt freshman is also the second straight UA player to win the batting title.
UCLA pulls away late to beat Arizona softball in first game of Friday doubleheader, clinch Pac-12 title
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Photo by Ryan Kelapire
Hanah Bowen thought she had strike three. The Arizona right-hander pinpointed an offspeed pitch near the bottom of the zone for what would have been a big out in the sixth.
Instead, it was ruled a ball and
Rachel Garcia sent the very next pitch over the left-field wall. The two-run homer broke a scoreless tie and opened the floodgates for No. 2 UCLA in a 6-2 win over No. 8 on Friday at Hillenbrand Stadium.
Ball 3 or strike 3? Hanah Bowen didn t get this call and Rachel Garcia hit the go-ahead homer on the very next pitch.
Arizona-UCLA softball series will have major postseason implications and Senior Week emotions
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Photo by Jacob Snow/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Arizona-UCLA series is always one of the most anticipated events on the college softball calendar. The Pac-12 rivals are the winningest programs in the sport, producing 20 national championships and hundreds of All-Americans.
Add increased fan capacity, senior week emotions and postseason implications into the equation, and this year’s rendition a four-game set in Tucson should make for an exciting finish to the regular season.
“This is a big weekend for sure,” said
Jessie Harper,