Tucson, Ariz. - Shortstop K'Lee Arredondo hit a two-run triple in the 12th to tie the score and designated player Lini Koria hit a grand slam to end it, as No. 3-ranked Arizona overcame a valiant challenge from Hofstra before capturing a 10-6 win over Hofstra in 12 innings in the NCAA Regional finals on Sunday afternoon at Hillenbrand Stadium.
With the win, Arizona improves to 46-11 and advances to the NCAA Super Regionals, where it will play a best-of-three series against BYU. Hofstra closes out its season with a 45-12 record, tying the school record for wins in a season and reaching the NCAA Regional finals for the fourth time in the last seven years.
Hofstra took its second extra-inning lead in the top of the 12th with a pair of runs. Freshman left fielder Becca Bigler (Bainbridge, Pa.) led off with a single through the left side. One out later, sophomore catcher Courtney Crews (Stafford, Va.) lined a single to left, and senior center fielder Kris Root (Waynesboro, Pa.) chopped an infield single to load the bases with one out. Senior first baseman Michele DePasquale (Waterford, N.J.) then lined a single into shallow left-center to break the tie and give the Pride a 5-4 lead. Senior third baseman Sara Michalowski (Philadelphia, Pa.) drew a bases-loaded walk to push the lead to 6-4, before relief pitcher Sarah Akamine came in and out of the jam with two groundouts.
Arizona answered, though, as Karissa Buchanan led off the bottom half of the 12th with a slapped single to shortstop, barely beating the throw from junior Trisha Dreslinski (Kingsville, Ohio). Freshman pitcher Olivia Galati (West Babylon, N.Y.) got Brittany Lastrapes to pop up to shortstop, but Lauren Schutzler slapped another infield single to put two runners on with one out. Arredondo then hit a floating line drive into the right-center field gap that rolled to the wall to allow the tying runs to score. Hofstra intentionally walked the next two batters to set up a force out at the plate, and Koria went the other way with a fly ball that just cleared the wall to score all four runs and end the game 10-6.
Hofstra took its first extra-inning lead in the ninth inning with the help of an Arizona error. DePasquale led off with a double into the left-center field gap. Michalowski then just missed an RBI double down the third base line that was foul by two inches, before hitting a soft grounder the other way that ended up with DePasquale caught in a rundown trying to go to third. Ziemba then lined a single to right that was mishandled by Buchanan, allowing runners to move to second and third with one out.Arizona freshman pitcher Kenzie Fowler got Hirschbuhl swinging for the second out, and first baseman Baillie Kirker dropped a throw from Arredondo on a grounder from Galati to allow Michalowski to score the go-ahead run.
Pinch hitter Matte Haack, though, tied the score with a solo homer with one out in the bottom of the ninth, her fourth round-tripper of the season, to answer the Pride's run and keep the game going.
Galati allowed just four hits and one run in seven innings of relief, before the Arizona comeback in the 12th. She also forced the extra innings with a solo homer to lead off the top of the sixth inning, tying the score at 3-3.
Hofstra jumped out quickly to a 2-0 lead in the first. Root led off the game with an infield single and DePasquale followed with a bunt to third. Brigette Del Ponte tried to get Root at second, but Root beat the throw to put two runners on. Michalowski sacrificed the runners over, and freshman right fielder Tessa Ziemba (Wilmington, Del.) lined a shot into the left-center field gap on a 3-2 pitch to score two runs.
The two runs marked the first for Hofstra against Arizona in five meetings between the schools, including four in NCAA Regional play. The Wildcats had shut Hofstra out the first four times.
Arizona, though, answered right back with three runs in the bottom of the first, as center fielder Lauren Schutzler slapped an infield single to shortstop with one out, and shortstop K'lee Arredondo hit a chopper in front of home plate that bounced high in the air over the head of Michalowski at third base for another single. Stacie Chambers walked to load the bases, and Del Ponte hit a sacrifice fly to left to trim the Hofstra lead to 2-1. Designated player Lini Koria followed with a fly ball to right that held up in the stiff crosswind, fooling Ziemba, who was forced to charge hard and couldn't hold on for an error, as two runs scored to make the score 3-2.
Hofstra got runners to second base in the second and third innings, but Arizona freshman pitcher Kenzie Fowler left them both stranded. In the second, Dreslinski walked with one out and stole second, but Root flew out to foul territory in left to end the inning. Wildcat second baseman Kristen Arriola came up with a solid defensive play on Ziemba in the third, diving to her left and throwing Ziemba out from her knees, as DePasquale, who walked, moved to second.
The Pride put two runners on in the fourth with one out as Bigler was hit by a pitch and Dreslinski walked for the second time. However, Root hit a chopper with two outs that bounced over the head of Del Ponte at third, but Arredondo broke behind her, fielded the ball on a bounce, and ran straight to third base for the forceout.
For the fourth straight inning, the Pride got the tying run into scoring position in the fifth, as Michalowski lined a single to center with one out and moved to second on a Ziemba groundout. Fowler, though, struck out Hirschbuhl on a 2-2 change-up to keep the lead 3-2.
Arizona threatened to break the game open in the fifth, as Lastrapes led off with a walk, and Schutzler chopped a ball over Wade's head and out of the reach of both Dreslinski and Hirschbuhl as it went up the middle to put runners on first and second. Hofstra starter Erin Wade (Taunton, Mass.) left the game after allowing just four hits in four innings. Galati came in to relieve Wade, and retired the next three batters in order to escape the jam. Michalowski finished off the inning with a nice defensive stab of a sharp grounder from Del Ponte, slapping third base with her glove for the forceout.
Galati then led off the sixth inning with a scorching line drive to left that just carried over the fence for her fourth home run of the season, tying the score at 3-3.
After Galati retired the side in order in the bottom of the sixth, Hofstra threatened to take the lead in the top of the seventh. DePasquale led off with a walk and was replaced by pinch-runner Michelle Lavagnino (Fredericksburg, Va.). Third baseman Brigette Del Ponte, though, forced Lavagnino at second on a sacrifice bunt attempt from Michalowski for the first out. Ziemba then walked to put runners on first and second. A Hirschbuhl groundout to second moved the runners over, and Galati hit a soft liner to Baillie Kirker at first base to end the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, Buchanan led off by chopping a ball off of home plate that bounced high in the air, easily allowing her to beat the throw to first. However, one out later, Schutzler slapped a soft liner to Michalowski on a hit-and-run, and Michalowski caught the ball just off the dirt and easily doubled off Buchanan to end the inning and force the game into extra frames.
Arredondo led off the eighth with yet another chopped single over third base to set the table for the heart of the order. Galati got Chambers to fly out to center and then struck out Del Ponte swinging. Arredondo then stole second with two outs, just beating the throw from Crews, but Galati retired Koria on a comebacker to send the game to the ninth.
DePasquale was 2-for-3 with three walks for the Pride, while Ziemba was 2-for-6 with two RBI and Root was 2-for-7. Hofstra left 17 runners on base for the game, compared to only seven by Arizona. Schutzler and Arredondo each had three hits for the Wildcats.
With its 45-12 final record, Hofstra tied the school record for wins in a season, set two years ago (45-13). The Pride also won two NCAA Tournament games against No. 14 Oklahoma State, giving it 16 NCAA Tournament wins since 2000, eight of which have come against nationally ranked teams. Hofstra has reached the regional finals in four of the last seven years, before being eliminated by Arizona twice (2010, 2008), Alabama (2005) and Stanford (2004), all of which were ranked in the top 10.
Galati tied the school record for wins in a season, finishing the year with a 26-7 record, matching the 26 wins set by Stacy Jackson twice (1992, 1995) and matched by Jen Smith (1997). Root ended her career with 54 stolen bases, one shy of the school record, including a perfect 16-16 this season (she also set the single-season record with 26 swipes in 2008). DePasquale ended her career with 206 hits, eighth in Hofstra history, and 109 RBI, which ranks tied for tenth.
