Arizona Wildcats explode for 14 runs in blowout of Villanova to open NCAA softball tourney play

In the first game of regional play in Fayetteville, Arkansas, Arizona erupted for eight runs in the bottom of the first inning to get the early jump on another set of Wildcats — these ones from Villanova — in a 14-3 run-rule win in five innings at Bogle Park on the campus of the University of Arkansas.

The win sets the Tucson-based Wildcats up for a matchup Saturday at noon against Arkansas, the Fayetteville Regional host and the bracket’s No. 12 overall national seed. The Razorbacks narrowly defeated Southeast Missouri State Friday night, 3-2. SEMO will face Villanova in an elimination game later on Saturday.

If Arizona loses Saturday's noon game, it will play an elimination game Saturday night against the winner of that aforementioned SEMO/Villanova matchup in Game 5. If Arizona wins Saturday's noon game, the Wildcats will be in the driver's seat going into Sunday play with their eyes on reaching a Super Regional.

Kennedy, the All-Pac-12 first-teamer, walked to lead off that big first inning for Arizona before coming up again that same inning. After the Wildcats batted around, Kennedy hitting a two-run home run to cap an opening frame that saw UA record five hits but have eight players cross home plate in that half inning in their first NCAA Tournament game since reaching the Women’s College World Series two seasons ago in coach Caitlin Lowe’s first year at the helm of her alma mater.

"I think it's just us being so ready for this game and for this weekend," Kennedy said in a postgame interview as part of the ESPN+ broadcast. We prepared for this, so we came out and played our game and got some runs on the board."

Asked what this UA team is capable of this postseason, Kennedy was definitivve with a one-word answer: "Everything."

While Arizona led 9-0 through three innings — Carlie Scupin hit a solo shot in the second inning to add to Arizona’s lead — Villanova’s Wildcats punched through three of their own in the top of the fourth to inch back into the game.

But the Wildcats loaded the bases (without a single out) again in the bottom of the fourth. Allie Skaggs roped a two-run double down the third base line before

Through those first four innings, the top four hitters in Arizona’s lineup — Kennedy, Regan Shockey, Scupin and Scaggs — were a combined 8 for 11 with six RBIs and a pair of home runs while scoring seven runs as a quartet.

If Kennedy got another at-bat, she probably would have found a unique way to get on base after walking then hitting her home run in the first, and then reaching on a bunt single in the top of the fourth.

Arizona’s 14-run outburst was the UA programs most runs in an NCAA Tournament game since 2009.

"For me, seeing (Dakota) and Regan just start off hot like that," Scupin said postgame. "gives me all the confidence and I think our team does a really good job of just feeding off of each other offensively."

Miranda Stoddard started in the circle for Arizona on Friday, allowing one hit in three innings before making way for Brooke Mannon as part of the UA’s pitching platoon. Mannon was statistically responsible for the three Villanova runs without recording an out in the top of the third, before Aissa Silva got Arizona out of the inning.

"It was huge to get, I think, all three in the game to kind of get their feet wet," Lowe said of using all three of its primary hurlers. "Brooke's going to have many more moments this postseason.

"And just being able to trust her stuff and just go right after people," Lowe added. "The hit doesn't bother me. The walks is what bothers me, and i know that's what's getting to her. But, at the same time, her intent for going into that game was right, and she needs to just be able to control everything that she can going into the game, leading up to the game, and she will get her moment in the postseason."

Lowe spoke highly of Stoddard, who dealt with the weather delay but still went those three scoreless innings out of the gate.

"She was fantastic. I thought she set a great tone. I think you could see the maturity of just her having the experience in the postseason that she's had before," Lowe said of the transfer who played previously for Kentucky. "The moment wasn't too big and she just went at it, pitched into our defense, did exactly what she's been successful for us all year.

"Any time you can throw the zero up in the first inning and we can set a tone offensively, I really think we're in good shape. She created momentum defensively for us that we were able to carry onto offense."