ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ softball bounced back after an extra innings loss to top ranked Texas to run rule a ranked former Pac-12 rival.
On Sunday the No. 11 ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ (15-2) beat No. 20 Stanford 10-2 in six innings to finish the Hillenbrand Invitational, 5-1.
“I was really impressed with the way they showed up to batting practice and warmups (Sunday) because I think after (Saturday) it can kind of go one or two ways,†said UA head coach Caitlin Lowe. “And they were focused, locked in, driven, just ready for the task at hand. So, I thought it was great to see us kind of just let go (and) throw that first punch.â€
UA hit nine home runs in the tournament and five in the Sunday game against Stanford. Senior pitcher/infielder Devyn Netz hit two in the second game against the Cardinal, including a walk off 3-run homer. She said the key to that power is staying in the moment.
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“Just taking it pitch by pitch, inning by inning and especially game by game, especially coming off that Texas game,†Netz said. “I think we’re able to come together especially after a loss like that when we were so close and just stick to our game and stick to what works for us.â€

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s Devyn Netz pitches against then-No. 1 Texas in the Hillenbrand Invitational, Feb. 22, 2025.
Against Stanford, junior utility player Sydney Stewart hit a 2-run home run in the first and then Netz hit a solo homer in the next at bat.
Grad student pitcher/infielder Miranda Stoddard threw the first two innings and didn’t give up any runs, hits or walks. Junior Aissa Silva relieved her but gave up two solo home runs in an inning plus of work.
Sophomore utility player Emily Schepp hit a solo home run in the sixth. Then junior utility Kaiah Altmeyer hit a 3-run dinger before Netz’s walk off.
On Saturday, the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ lost 8-4 to No. 1 Texas in eight innings.
The Longhorns jumped ahead 3-0 in the first inning, scoring those runs with two outs.
Then in the home half of the first, Stewart hit a 3-run homer to even the score.
In the sixth inning, Texas senior pinch hitter Katie Cimusz put the Longhorns ahead with a two-out double off the glove of Altmeyer on the warning track.
Netz pitched five innings, giving up three hits, an earned run, walking two and striking out two.
Altmeyer tied it in the seventh with an RBI single and the game went to extras.
Texas won the game with four runs in the eighth scoring on a sac fly and then a three-run home run.
Grad student pitcher Saya Swain (2-1) took the loss after pitching the last two innings.
On Friday, the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ beat UC Davis 7-0 as sophomore utility player Regan Shockey went 3-for-3 and freshman infielder Jenna Sniffen went 2-for-3. Sniffen and Stewart each had two RBIs.
Silva (3-0) went six innings and struck out five to get the win. Freshman pitcher Sarah Wright pitched a one-hit seventh inning.
Wright gave up five runs in her first two appearances in two innings of work.
In the second game on Friday, the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ run ruled Colorado State 10-0 in five innings. Senior outfielder Paige Dimler and Shockey both went 2-for-3 and Stoddard had four RBIs, including a 3-run home run.
Swain worked four innings striking out three and allowing a hit. Freshman Ryan Maddox pitched the last frame, allowing one hit.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Kaiah Altmeyer throws the ball from the outfield during the Hillenbrand Invitational game against Texas, Feb. 22, 2025.
UA opened the invite with a 4-1 win over former Pac-12 rival Stanford.
Altmeyer drove in UA’s first round with a sacrifice and then Netz scored on a wild pitch. Altmeyer then hit and RBI triple and she then scored on another Cardinal wild pitch.
Netz pitched a complete game, allowing one run on five hits while striking out seven.
Catcher and utility player Sydney Stewart is from San Jose, Calif.
“Growing up I’d always go to Stanford games, Stanford camps, it’s just nice to have like a little sense of home and I know (junior infielder) Taryn Kern, she went to my rival high school,†Stewart said. “So, we’d always just fool around like we just like talk about high school and everything, but yeah, it’s (nice) to be able to have a little sense of home.â€
In the night cap on Thursday, ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ beat UC Davis 7-2. The ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first two innings, including a two-run home run by Stewart in the first.
Junior infielder Logan Cole hit a two-run triple and Altmeyer drove her in. Stewart then hit a sacrifice RBI.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ third base coach signals that ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Logan Cole (23) is safe during the Hillenbrand Invitational, Feb. 22, 2025.
Freshman utility Emma Kavanagh hit the first homer of her career, a solo shot. UC Davis scored a couple runs on UA errors. Stoddard pitched 3 1/3 innings in relief, striking out 4 and not giving up a hit to earn the win.
Extra bases
On Wednesday, the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ travel to LMU, who are coached by Tairia Flowers née Mims, a Tucson native who went to Salpointe Catholic.
Lowe played with Flowers on Team USA, winning the silver at the 2008 Olympics together.
UA assistant Christian Conrad coached at LMU before coming to Tucson. After playing at LMU they will play at the Judi Garman Classic at Cal State Fullerton.
“So that was a no brainer for us, you know, it’s so hard to get people here for mid weeks, so we kind of have to just tag onto some of those tournaments when we get the opportunity,†Lowe said. “So, we’re there a couple of extra days to get that game in before the Judi Garman, so we’ll go in, play Wednesday, have Thursday to practice and then start the tournament Friday.â€
UA is now 143-9 in the Hillenbrand Invitational. It’s ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥â€™s longest active tournament, having started in 1994.
UA had two other home tourneys, the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Classic, which ran from 1987 to 2005 and the Wildcat Invitational, which they hosted from 1996 to 2022.
UA went 97-11 in the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Classic and 128-4 in the Wildcat Invitational. In 2020, ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ added the Bear Down Fiesta and in 2021 the Candrea Classic.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ improved their record against former Pac-12 teams to 3-1 this season. The ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ went 1-1 against Washington in the Candrea Classic.
After facing LMU on Wednesday, the ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ take on No. 4 UCLA on Saturday in Fullerton, Calif.