TUCSON -- No. 4 Arizona improved to 19-2 on the season while completing a five-game sweep of the Wildcat Invitational with an 8-0 win in five innings Sunday over UC Riverside in the tournament finale.
Brigette Del Ponte went 2 for 3 and had three RBIs. One of Del Ponte's hits was a two-run home run, her ninth of the season, tying her for the team lead in home runs with Stacie Chambers.
Arizona got eight hits total while Shelby Babcock gave up just four and struck out five. The Wildcats did not strand a runner
Arizona scored in the first without recording a hit. Brittany Lastrapes walked and stole second, and Del Ponte reached on a throwing error by UC Riverside second baseman Taylor Thomas that advanced Lastrapes to third. The next batter, Chambers, hit a sac fly to left that scored Lastrapes from third.
The Cats got five more runs in the second on five hits and were helped out by two more UC Riverside errors. Kristen Arriola doubled to begin the frame, and Karissa Buchanan singled her to third. Baillie Kirker brought both of them home with a double to left-center. Lastrapes then doubled in a run, and Alex Lavine scored on a throwing error by the center fielder. Del Ponte singled up the middle to bring in the final run of the inning, giving Arizona a 6-0 lead.
Schutzler singled in the third and was brought home by Del Ponte
