Caitlin Lowe’s two-run double in the fifth inning combined with a two-hit shutout from Taryne Mowatt gave Arizona a 3-0 win Saturday evening that eliminated DePaul from the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.
The two-run double came after K’Lee Arredondo, who went 2-for-3 in the game, and Adrienne Acton each singled with one out. DePaul had the outfield drawn in, and Lowe punched a ball over the head of Kate Sheaks in left to score Arredondo and Acton and put the Wildcats on top 2-0.
“I was looking for a good pitch up in the zone, something to get out of the infield,” Lowe said. “I was able to get a good pitch and that is what happened. Coach (Candrea) asked if I was comfortable seeing the ball well and I said yes, so I went for it.”
“It was a great game. Arizona had a lot of opportunities to score, and they capitalized on a couple of those,” DePaul head coach Eugene Lenti said. “I am really proud of our kids. It was just a great job by Caitlin Lowe. She is one of the best players in the country. We were ahead in the count and looking to get a ground ball somewhere. She just made a game-changing play.”
A standing-room only crowd of 8,222 watched the game, giving the series a new single-session attendance record. The previous best of 8,049 came in the 2000 championship series between Oklahoma and UCLA.
The Cats expanded the lead in the top of the seventh as Arredondo led off with a single. Following a sacrifice from Acton to move her to second, Arredondo scored two hitters later as Chelsie Mesa laced a single through the right side.
“Obviously at this stage of the game, every game is huge,” Arizona head coach Mike Candrea said. “Today was a must-win. I liked what I saw. We met today and said we were going to take one game at a time. We are a long ways from dead, that’s for sure. This is a big win. Taryne (Mowatt) did well, and our offense did some good things. What it’s all about right now is to keep playing.”
Arredondo accounted for two of the Wildcats’ three runs in the game, plenty of support for Mowatt who moved to 38-11 after allowing just a pair of hits and striking out six in recording her 16th shutout of the year.
Tracie Adix finished her final season of collegiate action with a 22-4 mark after she allowed two runs on seven hits over five innings in the losing effort. The final UA run came off Stephanie Blagaich, the third pitcher of the evening for the Blue Devils. Becca Heteniak pitched an inning and surrendered a hit with a strikeout and walk.
“It was a phenomenal season for us,” Lenti added. “I had the time of my life with this group. They are just a great group. I don’t know if there will ever be a group like them; they have a special place in DePaul history.”
Kristie Fox also recorded a pair of hits for Arizona, giving her a hit in 13 of her last 14 games. The 2-for-4 effort tonight marked her first multi-hit game since May 4 when she accomplished the feat against Oregon.
