Arizona
Pac-12 Softball Tournament: Arizona dominates Washington to advance to semifinals
STANFORD, CALIF.— There were two keys to Arizona defeating Washington in their first game at the Pac-12 Softball Tournament. Both were on the offensive side of play. The Wildcats executed both perfectly in a dominant 11-3 run-rule victory over the Huskies.
When the Wildcats played the Huskies in Tucson, they allowed UW righty Ruby Meylan to determine the zone. They chased her pitches. They couldn’t do that at Stanford’s Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium if they hoped to be successful.
They didn’t chase her pitches, but they did chase Meylan from the game in the second inning on the way to a six-inning victory over the Huskies.
First time UW has been run-ruled this season. Last time was 4/16/23 at Oregon State
— Softball-Obsess(Ed) Strong (@ByEdStrong) May 10, 2024
The other key to the game was the reason the ‘Cats got to Meylan. The middle of the order came through. All of Arizona’s hitters had been to the plate two batters into the second inning. UA was up 4-0 after two with hits and RBIs from Carlie Scupin, Allie Skaggs, and Olivia DiNardo.
“I think we were all just excited to come out,” Scupin said. “We remember our series against Washington, so I think we kind of played with a little bit of a chip on our shoulder. But I mean, honestly, not even just the middle of lineup. It was one through nine all night, so it was great.”
Freshman pitcher Sidne Peters was able to keep the Wildcats off the board in the third, but they eventually got to her, too.
“Peters came in and threw some dirty stuff, and they just stayed consistent and worked at it and took some stuff to get to better quality at-bats,” Arizona head coach Caitlin Lowe said.
In the sixth, it was time for Lindsay Lopez to try her hand against the Wildcats. Arizona put runs on the board every inning except the third and scored at least two runs in four of the six innings played.
It wasn’t all about the hitting, though. The Wildcat pitchers had a strong collective effort using the all-hands-on-board approach in the circle that Lowe mentioned before the team left Tucson.
Miranda Stoddard got the start. She was strong for the two innings she pitched. She gave up just two hits and one walk. The Huskies couldn’t push a run across against her.
Brooke Mannon surrendered two runs on two hits and a walk in one inning of work. She struck out two in the third inning but was unable to get an out in the fourth before giving up a two-run home run. It didn’t stop her from getting the win, though. Mannon improved to 6-3 on the year.
Aissa Silva relieved Mannon after the two runs scored in the bottom of the fourth. She immediately gave up a home run, pulling UW within two runs of Arizona.
That was the extent of the damage, though. Silva gave up one run on two hits and two walks to pick up the three-inning save.
It was a complete turnaround from the way the Wildcats looked when they faced UW earlier in the season. The Huskies run-ruled Arizona twice before losing the final game of the series 2-0. UA couldn’t muster a lot against Meylan either time they faced her, although they did get their win in a game she pitched.
“We prepared all week,” Scupin said. “We knew we were gonna get Ruby. So I think it’s that and being prepared and looking at our at-bats from last time in the series against them. But like flipside, just trusting our abilities and all of that. I think we’re a completely different team now than when we played them. So, we knew what we wanted to do today. We did that.”
What they did was impose their will at every turn and pick each other up when they needed to. When their pitchers gave up three runs in the bottom of the fourth, the offense went out and got two of them back in the top of the fifth.
Those two runs came on a home run by DiNardo, who went 3-for-4 and tied her career high with five RBI. Two of her hits went for extra bases.
It was the second straight year DiNardo hit one out of Stanford’s stadium. The native of San Mateo, just a few miles up the road from Palo Alto, seemed to be in her element.
“I do like coming home,” DiNardo said. “It’s always nice to be home with my family and see my dogs and stuff like that, but it’s different. I do like playing in Tucson in front of those fans.”
Scupin was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a double. Skaggs went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a double. That made the three, four, and five hitters 7-for-12 with three doubles, a home run, and eight RBI on the day.
“I think we all really trusted ourselves today and just kind of took pitch by pitch and not trying to force anything to happen,” DiNardo said. “It was like we’re good enough the way we are without having to change the game at all.”
The top and the bottom of the order continued to produce, as well. Seven of Arizona’s hitters got at least one hit. Even those who didn’t, like catcher Emily Schepp, made good contact. Schepp almost hit one out, but the 205-foot left-field fence was just a few inches too far and too high.
Was it the most complete effort of the season for the Wildcats?
“That’s exactly what I said first to them,” Lowe said. “I thought all the way around. The pitching was handing the ball to the next person and doing their job. I was thrilled with our pitching performance tonight as well as our defense. Just really excited about the way they came out and stayed consistent throughout every inning.”
Now they get a chance to get revenge against another team they felt they should have played better against. Arizona will face UCLA in the semifinals. The last time the two teams faced each other, the Wildcats were going into the bottom of the sixth with a 7-0 lead before the Bruins came back to win 11-7. It was the difference between winning their series 2-1 and losing it 1-2.
This time it’s for a spot in the finals of the last Pac-12 Softball Tournament.
Don’t miss these 5 metro Phoenix hidden gem restaurants
From Ethiopian cuisine to mesquite-grilled chicken, check out these five restaurants in metro Phoenix that have flown under the radar for too long.
A former candidate for Gilbert mayor has opened the first Arizona location of a Founding Fathers-themed ice cream shop in Chandler.
Brooker’s Founding Flavors Ice Cream is a Utah-based ice cream shop centered around the early history of the United States. Female employees scoop cones in bonnets and dresses; male employees wear tricorn hats and coats. The ice cream flavors have names like Martha Washington’s Colonial Cotton Candy and Alexander Hamilton’s Not Throwing Away My Scoop.
On a trip to Utah in 2019, Arizonan Shane Krauser went to a Brooker’s and was blown away.
“I walked out of that, called my wife Janelle and I said, ‘We will own one of these,’” Krauser said.
The couple had no previous restaurant experience, but decided to open up the chain’s first location outside of Utah, choosing a storefront near the intersection of Chandler Boulevard and Dobson Road. The store opened on June 6.
Krauser loves how the shop creates conversation among customers about American history.
“I love history. I love the Founding Fathers. I love the ideals of America,” Krauser said. “It’s an amazing concept.”
Opening Founding Flavors isn’t political, it’s a ‘labor of love’
Krauser is a retired lawyer turned motivational speaker who addresses topics including “freedom, the proper role of government and the parameters of the U.S. and state constitutions,” according to his website.
In 2024, Krauser ran for Gilbert mayor, but withdrew his candidacy amid scrutiny over involvement with a past investment fraud scheme and his son’s appearance in a video with the Gilbert Goons, The Arizona Republic reported.
Although the shop plans to host events celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S., such as one for Constitution Day in September, Krauser said he does not see the ice cream store as related to his political career.
“The mayoral run was something to be involved in politically. This is more of a labor of love,” Krauser said. “This is not political in nature at all. It’s an ice cream shop with an American theme.”
Details: 2560 W. Chandler Blvd. #3, Chandler. brookersicecream.com, 480-881-6100.
Reach the reporter at reia.li@gannett.com. Follow @reia_reports on Instagram.
Arizona CEO accused of stealing millions
Jeffrey Gottfurcht, the now-former CEO of Mesa startupo Cyber Dive, is accused of stealing at least $1.5 million from the company to buy gifts for his girlfriend. FOX 10’s Brian Webb has more.
PHOENIX – An Arizona chief executive officer is facing major legal trouble after being accused of embezzling money from his company.
What we know:
Cyber Dive is an Arizona startup that sells child-safety smartphones, designed so parents can monitor their children’s online activity. The company is run out of a business complex in Mesa, but the startup is barely hanging on after the CEO allegedly took off with the money to spend on his girlfriend.
Jeffrey Gottfurcht is facing federal embezzlement charges. He stands accused of lying and doctoring documents to trick investors before running off with at least $1.5 million.
On the company Facebook page, Gottfurcht claimed to be the first rheumatoid arthritis sufferer to scale Mount Everest.
Local perspective:
Red flags first popped up at the company on Feb. 13, with strange occurrences coming into the office.
Derek Jackson, who co-founded Cyber Dive, recalled the moment the discrepancies came to light.
“They mentioned to me something about getting routing documentation for funds from an acquisition deal,” Jackson recounted. “They said ‘where are those documents?’ He said he was gonna send him at 3 p.m. today, and my response was what deal are you talking about?”
Dig deeper:
Court documents show Gottfurcht used the money to buy his escort girlfriend a Lamborghini, a four-bedroom house in Miami, and a diamond ring. The girlfriend has posted videos on TikTok, but her identity is hidden because she has not been charged with a crime.
When asked to confirm if Gottfurcht purchased the car, the diamond ring, and the house, Jackson responded, “Yes. So it gets deep. Yes, it gets very deep.”
“It’s a huge gut punch,” Jackson said regarding the impact on the startup. “I think it’s been challenging to stay motivated to keep the company going because when this happened, Jeff drained the account to zero.”
At the Cyber Dive headquarters, half the workforce was let go. Jackson is now serving as the interim chief executive officer, looking for new investors to keep the lights on while coming to grips with the loss of a partner and friend.
Jackson stated that the total amount of money taken is closer to $4 million.
“I was in the army. I was an intelligence officer. I was targeting people in ISIS. I don’t even hate terrorists as much as I hate Jeff right now,” Jackson said.
The other side:
No one answered the door at the Paradise Valley home Gottfurcht shares with his wife and three children. Court paperwork shows that his wife is seeking a divorce, and helped turn her husband in to the authorities.
What’s next:
Gottfurcht was previously arrested in Scottsdale in May over allegations of domestic violence. He remains behind bars on a $250,000 bond.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Derek Jackson, and from court documents.
Arizona
NAU launches first-of-its-kind engineering degree to fast-track Arizona’s future workforce – The NAU Review
As Arizona’s semiconductor and advanced manufacturing industries continue to grow at a rapid pace, Northern Arizona University’s Steve Sanghi College of Engineering is launching a new degree program designed to help meet the state’s workforce needs.
Beginning this fall, NAU will offer a Bachelor of Professional Studies in Engineering Technology, a flexible, workforce-focused degree pathway that prepares students for careers in microelectronics, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing in as little as three years. The 90-credit bachelor’s degree creates a more accessible pathway into engineering careers through a hands-on, applied curriculum and a streamlined transfer model with Arizona community colleges.
The program follows a 45-45 completion structure, allowing students to complete 45 credits at a community college and 45 credits through NAU. Courses will be delivered through synchronous remote instruction at NAU’s North Valley campus in Phoenix and at Pima Community College in Tucson, increasing access for statewide students.
Addressing Arizona’s growing semiconductor workforce
Designed with workforce readiness in mind, the program emphasizes practical engineering application, systems implementation, testing, quality control, systems analysis, manufacturing, fabrication, process control and project management. Students will gain technical and problem-solving skills aligned with the needs of Arizona’s rapidly evolving manufacturing economy.
“This new bachelor’s degree empowers students to identify real-world engineering challenges and develop practical solutions,” said James Palmer, associate dean for academic affairs at the Steve Sanghi College of Engineering. “We are creating a more accessible pathway into engineering careers while preparing graduates to support Arizona’s growing microelectronics and semiconductor industry.”
Arizona has emerged as one of the nation’s fastest-growing semiconductor hubs, with more than $200 billion in semiconductor-related investments announced in the Greater Phoenix region since 2020, including expansions from Intel, TSMC and Amkor Technology. TSMC alone has committed up to $165 billion toward Arizona operations, including multiple fabrication plants and advanced packaging facilities expected to create thousands of technical and manufacturing jobs.
Industry demand continues to grow for professionals with applied engineering and advanced manufacturing skills in areas such as process engineering, manufacturing systems, equipment operations and yield enhancement. NAU’s new degree program was developed to help students quickly enter these high-demand career fields while supporting Arizona’s long-term economic growth and domestic semiconductor manufacturing capacity.
The program also aligns with NAU’s strategic commitment to expanding access to affordable, student-centered educational opportunities that prepare graduates for meaningful careers and long-term success.
Students interested in learning more about the Bachelor of Professional Studies in Engineering Technology program should contact SCE@nau.edu.
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