Arizona softball outlasts GCU in extra innings in top 25 battle

PHOENIX – Arizona softball’s trip to Grand Canyon on Wednesday evening was not an ordinary midweek affair.

A sold out GCU Softball Stadium was buzzing with anticipation for one of the biggest home games in program history, as the nationally ranked Lopes sought to prove they belong with the state’s longtime softball power.

For seven innings, No. 24 GCU held its own with No. 10 Arizona, but the Wildcats eventually broke through in extras with the help of some shoddy defensive play by the home team.

Arizona’s Miranda Stoddard threw four shutout innings, and Devyn Netz and Regan Shockey each had two RBI in a 7-3 Wildcats victory in front of a record GCU crowd of 1,637 fans.

The win marks the first of four games Arizona (27-4) will play in the Phoenix area this week, with a Friday through Sunday series at ASU coming up.

“These games are always tough because they’re in the middle of the week and we have another matchup coming up,” Stoddard said. “Obviously it’s rivalry week for us. We knew coming in it was going to be a tough game.”

GCU entered the game ranking top 10 in the country in batting average, but Stoddard silenced the Lopez bats, inducing seven groundouts and giving up only one base hit.

As a ground-ball pitcher, Stoddard’s style puts pressure on the infielders behind her to make clean outs. Arizona’s defense was nearly flawless on Wednesday, and shortstop Teylor Biehl in particular made several tough putouts.

“Just nails all night,” Arizona coach Caitlin Lowe said. “That’s the Teylor I’m used to so that’s awesome to see. Just thought we had the pitchers’ back all night.”

Stoddard’s only offensive support came in the third inning when the Wildcats used a little small ball to score the game’s first run. Biehl drew a two out walk, then advanced to third on a tapper off the bat of Dakota Kennedy. Regan Shockey hit a comebacker that bounced off the leg of GCU pitcher Taryn Batterton into the outfield to score Biehl.

Arizona got back-to-back scoreless innings in relief from Aissa Silva and Netz, as the game motored into the seventh inning at 1-0. Stoddard delivered an insurance run on a solo shot to deep center to double the lead.

The home run would prove critical.

In the bottom of the frame, Netz allowed a leadoff hit by pitch to bring the tying run to the plate. Two batters later, Makaiya Gomez hit a two-run blast to right field to tie the game. Netz recovered to record two outs and send the game into extras.

The international rule of putting a runner on second base to start each half inning went into effect in the eighth. Arizona’s Jenna Sniffen scored on a Biehl bloop hit to left field that got past the fielder’s glove. The hit was ruled a triple despite GCU left fielder Mia Weckel making a misplay on the ball.

Following a four pitch walk to Kennedy, Shockey hit a soft grounder back to the mound. GCU’s pitcher errantly attempted to throw Biehl out at home, allowing her to score, while Kennedy advanced to third and Shockey to second.

Kaiah Altmeyer drew a walk to load the bases for Netz, who laced a sharp single to left field. GCU’s Weckel again misfielded the ball, allowing three runners to score to push Arizona’s lead to 7-3.

Netz gave up an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth but otherwise faced no trouble to secure her 11th win of the season.

“I think that was good for us in so many ways,” Lowe said. “To play a tight game, to come back from giving up those two runs, and just figure out a way to win. A lot of different people stepped up, which was awesome.”

Arizona returns to action Friday when it takes on ASU in Tempe at 6 p.m. PST on ESPN+.