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Arizona offense comes alive late run-ruling Houston

Arizona delivered a late knockout blow to earn a run-rule win in the opener of a three-game weekend series at Houston on Friday afternoon.
ByAlan Rubenstein|
Jun 3, 2022; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Caitlin Lowe talks to an umpire during the fifth inning of the NCAA Women's College World Series game against the Oregon State Beavers at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium. Arizona won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images
Jun 3, 2022; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Caitlin Lowe talks to an umpire during the fifth inning of the NCAA Women's College World Series game against the Oregon State Beavers at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium. Arizona won 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Brett Rojo-Imagn Images | Brett Rojo-Imagn Images

Arizona hit three home runs in the last two innings and broke open a close game with a six-run fifth to earn a 10-1 run rule win at Houston on Friday afternoon. The Wildcats overcame a 1-0 deficit after two innings by scoring two each in the third and fourth before the five-run fifth inning.

Maddie Hartley gave Houston a 1-0 lead with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the second inning. Arizona answered quickly when a single by Kaiah Alymeyer scored Dakota Kennedy. The Wildcats took the lead when Alymeyer stole and Jenna Shockey stole home to go up 2-1.

A Miranda Stoddard HR to lead off the fourth inning extended the Arizona lead to 3-1. Kennedy grounded out to second base to score Jenna Sniffer after the latter tripled to extend the Arizona lead to 4-1.

Sydney Stewart hit a one-out, two-run HR in the top of the fifth to extend the Arizona lead to 6-1. After a single in between two walks loaded the bases, Kennedy hit a grand slam to put Arizona up 10-1 and in position to earn the run-rule victory.

Saya Swain got the final two outs after allowing a single and a walk in the bottom of the fifth. Stoddard pitched 4.1 innings, allowing one run on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts to improve to 11-0 in 2025. Kennedy finished with two hits in five at-bats, two runs scored and two RBIs.

Altmeyer and Tayler Biehl also had two hits for Arizona and Sniffen scored two runs. Jordee Wilkins was the only Houston player with multiple hits. Wilkins finished with two hits in three at-bats. Arizona and Houston will play at noon Mountain Standard Time on Saturday and finish the series and regular season on Sunday at 10 AM.

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