Arizona softball wasted no time setting the tone for 2026, opening the season with a dominant doubleheader sweep over Southern Utah - and doing it in emphatic fashion. Behind a four-run fourth inning in game one and a late offensive surge in game two, the Wildcats notched back-to-back 8-0 run-rule victories to kick off the new campaign.
Game One: Arizona Comes Out Swinging
In the opener, Arizona’s offense was clicking early and often. Iowa State transfer Sereniti Trice made her presence felt immediately, scoring the Wildcats’ first run of the season on a Southern Utah error.
That was just the beginning. Trice finished the game a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, flashing extra-base power with a double and a triple, while also crossing the plate twice.
Regan Shockey chipped in with a 2-for-3 performance of her own, adding a run and an RBI to help pace the offense. But the real fireworks came in the fourth inning, when Arizona broke the game wide open. A four-run outburst was highlighted by a Jenna Sniffen home run, giving the Wildcats all the cushion they’d need.
On the mound, Jalen Adams, a transfer from Iowa, was nearly untouchable. The right-hander tossed a five-inning no-hitter, with the only blemish on her line being a hit batter - the lone thing standing between her and a perfect game. Adams also struck out four, commanding the circle with poise and precision.
The game ended in the fifth when Tayler Biehl delivered a walk-off RBI single, scoring Molli Daley to invoke the run rule. Biehl and Sniffen each collected two hits, joining Trice and Shockey as Wildcats with multi-hit performances in the opener.
Game Two: Late Offense, Same Result
While game two started off as a pitchers’ duel, Arizona’s bats woke up late - and once again, it was Trice leading the charge. With the game still scoreless in the fifth, she singled home Addison Duke and Shockey to break the deadlock. Moments later, she showed off her baserunning instincts, scoring from second on a deep fly ball by Sydney Stewart that was caught at the wall by Michaella Salvatierra, who robbed Stewart of a potential home run.
The sixth inning saw Arizona pour it on again. Duke doubled in Biehl to kick off the frame, and Shockey followed with a single to plate Camila Zepeda. Stewart added another RBI with a single to center, scoring Duke and setting the table for the walk-off.
After Grace Jenkins popped out for the first out of the inning, senior Kiki Escobar stepped up and delivered. Her single to center brought home Shockey and Trice, sealing the second straight 8-0 run-rule win and putting a bow on a dominant day for the Wildcats.
What’s Next: Oklahoma on Deck
Arizona did exactly what a top-tier program is supposed to do against an overmatched opponent - take care of business quickly and decisively. But the real test comes this weekend, when the Wildcats host powerhouse Oklahoma for a three-game series that starts Friday afternoon. If this opening doubleheader was any indication, Arizona is ready for the challenge - and then some.