Arizona advances to Fayetteville Regional final after winning pitcher’s duel vs. Arkansas

Arizona only needed three hits to beat No. 12 Arkansas 2-1 on Saturday at the Fayetteville (Ark.) Regional to reach the championship round.

Arizona (36-16-1) will face Villanova (33-23) in the regional final round Sunday at 1 p.m. Villanova,in its first regional championship round, beat Arkansas 7-2 late Saturday night in an elimination game.

Arizona defeated Villanova 14-3 in five innings in the opening round Friday.

“They were locked in for every single moment,” Arizona coach Caitlin Lowesaid of her team following the win over Arkansas.

Cienega graduate Blaise Biringerhad two of Arizona’s three hits against the Razorbacks and drove in a run.

“Just chipping away every at-bat and learning more and more about myself and ways that I can be better each and every at-bat,” said Biringer, a career .315 batter who is hitting .271 this season. “Realizing that I am good and my training is gonna pay off sooner or later.”

The Wildcats struck first for two runs in the first inning. A sacrifice fly from Olivia DiNardo brought in the first run and Biringer singled in the second run.

Both teams were scoreless for the next six innings until Arkansas hit a solo home run to lead off the seventh to make a 2-1 game, but Aissa Silva(Mountain View) retired the next three batters to hold off the Razorbacks.

Arizona softball has beaten an SEC team 9 straight times in regionals and super regionals. The last 7 wins came in true road games. #NCAASoftball #Pac12SB #RoadtoWCWS https://t.co/L38X6ZICag

— Kim Doss (@KimDoss71) May 18, 2024

“Responding after a very big home run in the seventh inning, and I think that’s huge,” Lowe said. “They weren’t deflated. They put their shoulders back and they competed.”

Brooke Mannongot the win to improve to 7-3 and Silva earned her third save of the season.

Silva got the start and went 2 1.3 innings, striking out three Razorbacks and only allowing two hits.

Mannon entered in relief in the third and pitched 3 2/3 innings, giving up just a solo home run and striking out three batters.

Silva reentered in the seventh following the Arkansas home run and did not allow the Razorbacks to score to earn the save.

“I have complete trust in all of these girls that they’re going to do whatever they can for me, so I’m going to do whatever I can for them,” Silva said.