Arizona softball notebook: On Allie Skaggs’ new swing, a softer schedule, Janelle Meoño’s recovery

Arizona softball is headed down the stretch with hopes of attending to a thirty fifth straight NCAA match. The following cease is Salt Lake Metropolis the place the Wildcats will face the Utah Utes (21-20, 4-8).

The 2 groups will begin their sequence Friday at 4 p.m. MST/PDT with the sport airing on Pac-12 Arizona and Pac-12 Mountain. What are some keys to success for the Wildcats because the common season begins to wind down?

The schedule lightens up

The Pac-12 did Arizona no favors with the early-season schedule. The Wildcats have now performed 5 league sequence. Each opponent has been ranked sooner or later this season. The Utes would be the first crew on the schedule that has not been ranked.

Successful the subsequent three sequence—an inventory that features not solely the Utes but additionally Colorado and Stanford—is just not solely doable it’s required if the Wildcats hope to proceed their postseason streak.

Arizona is presently ranked No. 37 in RPI. Stanford is No. 33, Utah is available in at No. 44, and California sits at No. 47. A superb run in opposition to the opposite three provides Arizona a preventing probability.

The Wildcats even have an opportunity to maneuver up within the convention standings. Arizona presently sits final with a 4-11 document. Utah sits simply above at 4-8 and Oregon is in tenth with a 5-10 document. The Geese have but to play UCLA and ASU.

Allie Skaggs revisits her swing

Sophomore Allie Skaggs patrols second base and is without doubt one of the finest hitters within the convention. Skaggs sits simply behind teammate Carlie Scupin within the Pac-12 dwelling run race. Scupin is second within the league with 15 and Skaggs is tied for third with 14.

It’s not simply in regards to the energy, both. Skaggs additionally has the most effective batting averages on the crew. Her .375 common is second on the Wildcats’ roster to leadoff hitter Jasmine Perezchica. That’s ok for fifteenth within the Pac-12.

She believes it’s due to the work she’s executed on her swing.

“I’ve been engaged on letting go of my different hand and I lastly did that immediately and I assume it labored nice,” Skaggs stated after the Wildcats’ doubleheader.

It actually labored out in that sport. Skaggs tied a program document with three dwelling runs.

“I watch loads of swings,” Skaggs stated. “I watched MLB. I’ll watch a ton of another school softball. I see nice hitters that do it, like Shar. She’s getting ahold of a bunch. She’s doing the identical factor. So I’m like, ‘You recognize what, possibly I’ll attempt it. I don’t know, it may work.’ I roll over quite a bit. Okay, so let’s attempt to let go and see if that helps. And immediately it felt nice. I felt comfy. Simply watching loads of swings. I like learning swings. I feel that’s my favourite.”

Janelle Meoño is enhancing

Janelle Meoño has been out since Arizona’s Mar. 9 sport in opposition to North Dakota. A stress fracture in her foot had the sophomore in a boot for over six weeks. The boot is gone. Meoño wore a lighter brace on her decrease leg at Tuesday’s doubleheader and gave the impression to be strolling usually.

“She is working into completely different observe situations,” stated head coach Caitlin Lowe. “So, we’ll see…the way it goes, and we’ll simply sort of consider her week-to-week.”