UA softball ends Kajikawa Classic with rout of Cal Poly
Box score
TEMPE -- No. 2 Arizona finished play at the Kajikawa Classic with a 14-0, five-inning victory over Cal Poly.
Brittany Lastrapes, Brigette Del Ponte and Stacie Chambers each hit a home run in the lopsided victory for the Wildcats (5-1).
Lastrapes was 3 for 3 with a home run and four RBIs in the contest, as the Cats' offense took some frustration out from an 11-1 loss to No. 9 Oklahoma on Saturday.
Kenzie Fowler shut things down on the mound, striking out six and allowing just two hits in four innings of work before Shelby Babcock closed the door, recording three straight outs in the fifth inning. The pitchers faced 17 batters, two more than the minimum. Fowler improved to 4-0 with the win.
The Cats recorded eight hits in just four innings of offense and were helped out by 11 walks by Cal Poly pitchers. The Mustangs (1-4) used three pitchers in the game, but the loss went to starter Rebecca Patton who pitched just 2/3 of an inning and gave up seven runs, only three of which were earned.
Arizona put up seven runs in the first and another seven in the third.
Del Ponte got the Cats on the board in the first with a two-run home run well over the left-field fence. The homer was her third of the season, tying her for the team lead with Kristen Arriola.
Two walks and an Arriola single loaded the bases for Alex Lavine with two outs, and the freshman walked to pick up the first RBI of her career. The bases remained loaded for Baillie Kirker, who popped one up to shallow center field. Cal Poly shortstop Kim Westlund and centerfielder Whitley Gerhart collided and the ball fell to ground, allowing all three baserunners to cross home plate and Kirker to get to second. Lastrapes got her second hit of the inning when she drove home Kirker for the Cats' seventh run of the frame.
Twelve Arizona batters came to the plate in the third. Karissa Buchanan walked to start the third inning and Kirker moved her over with her first hit of the season, a hard-hit single though the left side of the infield. Lastrapes then notched her third hit of the game, this one a three-run home run to right field. Two batters later, there were two on for Chambers, who hit her first home run of the season, a three-run shot to right. Lini Koria, Buchanan and pinch-hitter Matte Haack all walked to load the bases. Mustang pitcher Trista Thomas was called for an illegal pitch, allowing Koria to score for the 14th run of the game for the Cats.