Aissa Silva came to Arizona when the Wildcats were in a pinch. They needed a pitcher in 2023, but Silva wasn’t even supposed to graduate until May of that year. She graduated from high school and entered college a semester early. Just over a year later, she was celebrating her 19th birthday with her 19th pitching win of the season.
— Arizona Softball (@ArizonaSoftball) April 20, 2024Make it 6⃣ Ks for @Aissa2023 in 5.2 innings of relief!
Offense will look to end it in the bottom of the seventh.
Right fielder Kaiah Altmeyer provided the winning hit, walking off the Arizona State Sun Devils with a solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning. The No. 19 Wildcats took the series opener 3-2.
WALK US OFF KAIAH!!! pic.twitter.com/o9lUWqOHFl
— Arizona Softball (@ArizonaSoftball) April 20, 2024
“Kaiah just figuring it out, because I think she had a tough call there in the middle of her at-bat and changed what she wanted to do in the box and found a way,” Arizona head coach Caitlin Lowe said. “And to me, that’s huge for her to come through like that. Just really proud of her.”
Silva didn’t get the start on her birthday. Instead, it was freshman right-hander Brooke Mannon. The pair of Arizona pitchers combined for eight strikeouts. They gave up a combined six hits and two walks.
It was Mannon’s third start in the last four games, although she hasn’t figured into the decision in those games. She didn’t again on Friday night.
Mannon pitched 1 2⁄3 innings, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk. Two of the three hits went for extra bases, including a two-run homer in the first inning. She left the game in the top of the second after giving up a one-out double and a walk.
Silva came in early to relieve the starter in what has become a pattern in recent weeks. She pitched the final 5 2⁄3 innings, surrendering no runs on three hits and one walk. She struck out six and earned her league-leading 19th win.
Arizona Wildcats (37-16-1, 13-11 Pac-12) @ Oklahoma State Cowgirls (47-10, 21-6 Big 12)
Game 1
Friday, May 24 at 5 p.m. MST
Cowgirl Stadium in Stillwater, Okla.
ESPNU and ESPN+
Game 2
Saturday, May 25 at 4 p.m. MST
Cowgirl Stadium in Stillwater, Okla.
TV to be determined.
Streaming on ESPN+
Game 3, if necessary
Sunday, May 26 at TBD
Cowgirls Stadium in Stillwater, Okla.
TV to be determined.
Streaming on ESPN+
ASU didn’t surrender easily. The Sun Devils came in on a seven-game losing streak, but starting pitcher Deborah Jones kept the Wildcats’ bats mostly quiet. She pitched 6 1⁄3 innings, scattering six hits and walking two. She gave up just three runs, well below her 4.83 ERA, but that was enough.
Altmeyer provided most of Arizona’s offensive punch. She went 2 for 3 at the plate and drove in two of the Wildcats’ three runs. Arizona’s other run was scored off an ASU error in the second inning.
— Arizona Softball (@ArizonaSoftball) April 20, 2024The bottom of the order comes through to tie it in the second!
We're knotted up after this double from Kaiah Altmeyer.
ASU threw the first punch. Audrey LeClair started things off with a single to center field. Kelsey Hall followed that with a two-run home run to put the Sun Devils up 2-0.
Mannon bounced back quickly, sitting down the next three batters to end the inning.
ASU showed some defensive cracks in the bottom of the inning. Jones maneuvered around them, but the Sun Devils committed the first of two errors to prolong the inning and put two on base.
The Wildcats pounced on another defensive miscue in the bottom of the second. Jones issued a leadoff walk to Blaise Biringer, who advanced to third on Emily Schepp’s single.
Schepp pushed the issue by stealing second with the runner on third. It looked like ASU catcher Sara Kinch was going to catch Schepp in a rundown, but the second baseman’s throw to third was offline. Schepp made it to third safely while Biringer took off for home, scoring Arizona’s first run. That cut the ASU lead in half.
Altmeyer stepped into the box with Schepp on third and one out. Her double down the left field line scored Schepp. ASU head coach Megan Bartlett challenged the fair/foul call, but the ball was ruled fair. The game was tied 2-2 after two innings.
“I thought to score those two right away was big,” Lowe said.
Both pitchers kept the offenses off-balance. Jones had three straight 1-2-3 innings for the Sun Devils. Silva allowed a single in the fifth, but that was the only baserunner for her in those three innings.
The pair of pitchers benefited from double plays turned by their defenses in the sixth inning, sending the game to the seventh still in a 2-2 tie.
Silva reverted to form, sitting the Sun Devils down in order in the top of the seventh, but Jones couldn’t answer. The ASU pitcher induced a pop-up from Tayler Biehl, bringing up Altmeyer with one out.
The ball didn’t look like it was going out even to Altmeyer’s eye.
“It was definitely a gap ball or off the fence,” Altmeyer said. “Off the bat, I did not think it was out.”
But it was, and Altmeyer was lifted on her teammates’ shoulders in celebration as they took game one of the rivalry series.
The sophom*ore has been in and out of the lineup this season. She and senior Jasmine Perezchica have shared right-field duties. Altmeyer has also been in the designated player spot on occasion. Despite the uncertainty, she and Perezchica have both produced.
“Me and Jaz are like best friends,” Altmeyer said. “So it’s actually like, I root for her, she roots for me. So we have a good bond. So I think when I’m out there, it’s no stress because it’s like I know my teammates are with me.”
The Wildcats try to secure the series win on Saturday, Apr. 20 at 4 p.m. MST. They improved their record to 29-13-1, matching the number of wins they had all last year.
