Arizona

Dakota Kennedy, Aissa Silva lift No. 18 Arizona softball to season-ending win over GCU

Published

2 years ago

May 1, 2024

Dakota Kennedy, Aissa Silva lift No. 18 Arizona softball to season-ending win over GCU

The No. 18 Arizona Wildcats needed to have short memories. Just two days after a heartbreaking loss to UCLA they were facing a tough Grand Canyon team that came in with a 42-10 record and five wins over major conference teams, including then-No. 17 Virginia Tech. UA couldn’t afford to wallow in what could have been.

Looking back wouldn’t help with a tough team on the schedule for Arizona’s final game of the regular season. Staying in the moment against a strong GCU squad allowed the Wildcats to close the regular season on a high note with a 3-2 victory.

“Obviously we didn’t have the outcome that we wanted on Sunday, but that’s done and over with,” said sophomore outfielder Dakota Kennedy. “No dwelling on that anymore. We knew we’re coming to play GCU. We were focused on GCU and we did what we had to do.”

Kennedy certainly didn’t seem to have anything on her mind except for the task at hand. She immediately put the Wildcats up with a lead-off home run in the bottom of the first.

The left fielder was a major cog in Arizona’s offense all night with a 4-for-4 showing at the plate and two home runs. It was the fourth multi-homer game of her career and the second this season.

The Wildcats got another run in the first on a Blaise Biringer groundout that scored Regan Shockey. The 2-0 lead was slim, though.

GCU got its lead-off batter on base every inning until the sixth. The Antelopes finally broke through in the top of the third. Arizona reliever Brooke Mannon loaded the bases on a single, an error, and a walk.

That ended the day for Mannon, who wasn’t able to record an out. Aissa Silva entered the game with the bases loaded and no outs. She surrendered an inherited run on a sacrifice fly but limited the damage to keep the Wildcats in front 2-1 after three innings.

GCU continued to show why it’s given teams from the Pac-12, the ACC, and the Big Ten trouble.

Katelyn Dunckle led off the fourth and quickly leveled the game at 2-2 with a long ball to left-center.

Arizona responded in the bottom of the inning with Kennedy’s second home run. The solo homer put the Wildcats back up by one run, but it definitely wasn’t enough of a lead to make them feel comfortable.

Silva walked the first batter in the fifth, but a strikeout and a double play ended that threat. In the sixth, she sat the Lopes down in order for the first time. Then, came the seventh.

Silva hit Tinley Lucas to start the inning. Lovey Kepa’a singled to put two on with no outs. Ashley Trierweiler came up and tried to move the runners.

Trierweiler bunted into the air. It looked like Silva was undecided about whether to try to catch it in the air or let Carlie Scupin field it. In the end, no one got to it and the bases were loaded with no outs.

As a high schooler, Silva set strikeout records for her program. It was what she was known for. In college things are different, and Lowe often talks about how important it is to use your defense. Sometimes strikeouts are needed, though—and this was one of those times.

“I definitely don’t think of it as a different mindset,” Silva said. “I kind of just go out there and be aggressive every time. Definitely having a great defense helps behind me, so I know I can rely on them to not always have a strikeout, but having a strikeout is always a plus.”

Silva struck out Kayla Rodgers swinging for the first out. She struck out Kristin Fifield looking for the second out.

Ramsay Lopez was the next hitter to step into the box. She has 13 home runs this season and could put the Lopes up by three if she got it out of the park.

Lopez fouled off the first three pitches. Then, Silva threw two balls to even the count. A foul and another ball made it full. Even another ball would tie the game. After what happened on Sunday at UCLA, that could be devastating.

Silva dug deep and got Lopez to swing at the third strike and end the game. It was the sophomore lefty’s seventh strikeout of the game.

“That was super important to me,” Silva said. “I felt the need to be there for my team. And I like to make it a little difficult on myself and make it a little interesting. But at the end of the day, I knew I needed to come in for my team and it’s the same as when they come in for me to hit.”

Silva earned her 21st win by throwing five innings of four-hit, one-run ball. She had one walk and hit a batter to go with the seven strikeouts. Four of those strikeouts came with the bases loaded.

What’s the difference between when Silva pitched into the defense and when she went for the strikeout?

“I just think you’re reading hitters, too,” Arizona head coach Caitlin Lowe said. “There’s going to be certain hitters who are making adjustments, and you’re going to have to pitch into your defense and then there’s going to be some people where you find some holes and you can attack them. And I was most proud of her because she knew…what she wanted to throw in one of those last at-bats and went after it. And to me, that’s just intent. It’s not her stuff. It’s not anything else except for she’s playing good softball in the moment. And I was proud of that and her knowing what she wanted in that very moment.”

Miranda Stoddard started the game but did not figure in the decision. She gave up three hits and a walk but didn’t surrender any runs in two innings. Mannon gave up one run on a hit and a walk.

Arizona returned to its pattern of relieving pitchers fairly quickly. The pattern isn’t always popular with fans, but it has been successful most of the time this season.

On Sunday against UCLA the staff went away from that and kept Silva in the game after she ran into trouble. That wasn’t the case on Tuesday, as they pulled Stoddard despite giving up no runs and quickly lifted Mannon when she was struggling.

Lowe said that the feeling in the moment helps determine whether to keep a pitcher in the game.

“I thought they squared up Miranda kind of early and Brooke wasn’t able to find the zone tonight,” Lowe said. “I think she’ll rebound from this and do better, but at the same time, that’s a very good team and you can’t give them a lot of chances. So we wanted to get Aissa in the game. She was one of the better matchups for them anyway, we just wanted to make sure we weren’t throwing her the full seven.”

Arizona completed its Pac-12 schedule with the series at UCLA but awaits this weekend’s games to find out who it will play in the Pac-12 Tournament. The Wildcats will be either the four or the five seed and play Oregon or Washington in a game scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. MST/PDT on Thursday, May 9.

The winner will take on the No. 1 seed on Friday, May 10. That likely means a rematch with UCLA.

The long break before the conference tournament can be looked at as a positive or a negative. Lowe is choosing to look at the pluses.

“They need a break,” she said. “I mean, it’s tricky not having your bye weekend in the middle of conference because it is kind of nice to get a breather. So they need a day, day-and-a-half of just the game off their bodies and off their minds. I think that’s the biggest thing. And to step into practice fresh.”

The Wildcats finished the regular season with an overall record of 33-15-1. They are 13-11 in Pac-12 play.

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Arizona

Arizona baseball falls to ASU in midweek nonconference game

Published

6 hours ago

March 11, 2026

Press Room

Arizona baseball falls to ASU in midweek nonconference game

TEMPE – The Phoenix metro has not been kind to Arizona baseball through the first month of the season.

Arizona fell to rival ASU 10-4 on Tuesday night in front of a packed crowd at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. The Wildcats clawed back after falling behind 6-1, but the Sun Devils closed the door in the late innings.

The nonconference game was the first of five matchups between the rivals, with the UA hosting a 3-game Big 12 Conference series in early April followed by one more non-league game in Tempe.

Arizona (6-10) is now 0-4 in the Phoenix area, with three losses coming in the opening weekend College Baseball Series in Surprise. Arizona dropped to 0-3 in midweek games.

Collin McKinney got the start for the Wildcats, allowing four earned runs on five hits and six strikeouts. McKinney conceded one run in the first inning but escaped out of a bases loaded jam. He looked sharp until giving up a 2-run homer to ASU’s Dean Toigo in the fourth inning.

“We saw the velocity at times. We saw the breaking stuff,” Arizona coach Chip Hale said. “It was very encouraging from us on our side for him.“

The Sun Devils tacked on three more runs in the fourth, including a 2-run blast from Landon Hairston off reliever Matthew Martinez.

Arizona answered in the sixth inning when sophomore catcher Roman Meyers drilled a 450-feet 3-run homer to bring the score to 6-4. It was Meyers’ third homer of the season.

“He always has a chance. He’s got massive power,” Hale said. “So if he hits it he has a chance for a home run.”

Arizona’s five through nine hitters combined for six of the team’s eight hits, led by 2-hit games from Caleb Danzeisen and Cash Brennan.

Arizona’s offense, however, couldn’t keep up with the Sun Devils, who added runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to pull away. Wildcats pitchers gave up eight free bases on the night.

Arizona is back in action Friday when it begins Big 12 play at Utah. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. MST.

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Arizona

WATCH: How Helping One Woman provides hope and support with ‘Girl’s Night Out’

Published

18 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

WATCH: How Helping One Woman provides hope and support with ‘Girl’s Night Out’

PEORIA, AZ — What if a simple dinner could help someone rebuild their life? In Peoria, a local chapter of Helping One Woman is doing just that by gathering once a month for a “Girls Night Out” with a powerful purpose.

Each month, women in the community nominate someone facing an unimaginable challenge: the loss of a spouse or child, a cancer diagnosis, or another life-altering hardship. That woman becomes the evening’s honoree.

At the dinner, attendees each contribute at least $10 and take part in raffles supported by local businesses. By the end of the night, the funds raised are gifted directly to the recipient to help with expenses during a difficult time.

But organizers say the money is only part of the impact. The room full of encouragement, hugs, and shared support can be just as powerful.

ABC15’s Cameron Polom talked with the Peoria chapter president and two women whose lives were changed thanks to the group’s generosity. See the full Uplifting Arizona story in the video player above.

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Arizona

What have the Cardinals done in NFL free agency? – Arizona Sports

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

What have the Cardinals done in NFL free agency? – Arizona Sports

The NFL’s legal tampering window is officially open, and it didn’t take long for the Arizona Cardinals to get in the mix.

A running list of the new names and familiar faces coming to Arizona in 2026:

New names on Cardinals roster this free agency

Kendrick Bourne

The former San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots wide receiver brings another body to Arizona’s wide receivers room that includes Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr.

He’s got plenty of familiarity with new Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur from their time together in San Francisco (2017-20). Bourne also spent a year with expected Cardinals starter Jacoby Brissett in 2024 with the Patriots.

The wide receiver caught 37 passes for 551 yards in 16 games played (eight starts) last year.

He’s now on board for two years in Arizona.

Isaac Seumalo

The guard spent the past three years with the Pittsburgh Steelers after a seven-season stint with the Philadelphia Eagles.

He’s started 104 out of 125 games played and has spent time at both left and right guard during his NFL career.

According to Next Gen Stats, the guard allowed a 3.7% pressure rate last year. That was the lowest rate among all eligible guards in 2025.

Gardner Minshew

Minshew agreed to terms on a one-year deal on Monday.

He’s expected to back up expected starter Jacoby Brissett in 2026, according to Arizona Sports’ John Gambadoro.

Coming off his seventh NFL season and first with the Kansas City Chiefs, Minshew appeared in four games (one start) last year. He completed 46.2% of his throws for 37 yards and an interception.

Before landing with the Chiefs, Minshew spent time with the Las Vegas Raiders (2024), Indianapolis Colts (2023), Philadelphia Eagles (2021-22) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2019-20).

RB Tyler Allgeier

Allgeier comes over to Arizona on a reported two-year contract.

Before agreeing to terms on the $12.25 million deal with Arizona on Monday, Allgeier played four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.

He ran for 514 yards and eight touchdowns on 143 carries last year, while adding another 14 catches for 96 yards.

While he worked mostly behind Bijan Robinson the past three years, Allgeier did surpass the 1,000-yard mark as a rookie in 2022.

Familiar faces

L.J. Collier

Collier is back on a one-year deal.

The defensive lineman appeared in four games in 2025 due to a knee injury suffered in Week 2.

He recorded six tackles and two QB hits in what was his third season with the team.

Roy Lopez

After a one-year stint with the Detroit Lions, Lopez is back with his hometown team on a reported two-year deal.

In 17 games played last year, he recorded two sacks, four tackles for loss and a pass defensed.

Before his time in Detroit, Lopez spent two seasons with Arizona from 2023-24. During that span, he registered a sack, six tackles for loss, three passes defensed and a forced fumble in 30 games played (21 starts).

K Chad Ryland

Ryland is back on a one-year deal, the team announced.

Ryland went through plenty of struggles last season after a having a career year in 2024. His accuracy dropped from 87.5% in 2024 to 75.8% last season. He was especially inconsistent from 40 yards and on, compiling a 13-of-20 mark (65%). Inside 40 yards, though, Ryland was 12-of-13 (92.3%).

Arizona brought in kicker Josh Karty late in the year (more on him later), but Ryland never gave up his role and appeared in all 17 games.

A one-year deal isn’t going to break the bank by any means.

P Blake Gillikin

The Cardinals must feel pretty good about where Gillikin is at in his recovering from a back injury last year with their signing of the punter to a one-year deal.

Before he went down five games into the season, the punter was leading the league in yards per punt with 51.7.

Not only that, across his five seasons (65 games) in the NFL, he holds the all-time record for yards per punt at 48.5.

Staying healthy is key for Gillikin, who also missed time in 2024 due to an ankle injury.

RB James Conner

Technically not a free agent, Conner was a potential cut candidate given his contract.

But after reportedly revising his deal, Conner is returning for his sixth season with the Cardinals.

The running back brings plenty of leadership and a bruising running style to the mix.

He’s coming off an abbreviated 2025 (three games) due to an ankle injury but had rushed for a pair of 1,000-yard seasons the two years prior. He scored at least seven rushing touchdowns each season from 2022-24.

CB Sean Murphy-Bunting

Much like Conner, Murphy-Bunting was another prime cut candidate due to his contract but reportedly revised his deal with Arizona as well.

Murphy-Bunting has a lot to prove after missing all of 2025 due to an injury suffered away from the team facility.

In his first season with the Cardinals, the cornerback recorded 52 tackles, three interceptions, five passes defensed and two forced fumbles across 15 starts.

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