(Oklahoma City) -- Arizona struggled near the end of the regular season and went 2-4 down the final six-game stretch putting its spot in the NCAA tournament in jeopardy. However, the Wildcats not only made it to the tournament, but have become the first unseeded team to go 5-0 on the road in the Super Regional era after sweeps of the Columbia Regional and the Starkville Super Regional.
Throughout the playoff run for Arizona, has been led by its pitcher staff that has come led the way for first-year head coach Caitlin Lowe's team with two complete-game shutouts and have a collective ERA of 1.17 between Hanah Bowen and Devyn Netz.
Now Arizona will open up its trip to the WCWS with a matchup against No. 7 seed Oklahoma State, who is coming off a Super Regional sweep of Clemson, the Cowgirls outscored the Tigers 7-1 in the series.
"So honored to be here among so many great teams, so many great coaches and athletes. It's just an honor. A lot of different paths to get here. I think that's what stands out the most," Lowe said about the field at the Women's College World Series. "Ours was a bumpy road to start, and we have a team that really persevered through a lot of stuff that happened this season, and just so very proud of this group of women for coming together at the right time and really going through a very tough regional and very tough super regional to be here. Proud to be here and excited to compete with this group."
Getting the ball in the circle against Oklahoma State on Thursday is expected to be Bowen, who has pitched 22 innings this postseason and has posted an ERA of 1.59 while totaling 18 strikeouts. In her last start she went eight innings against Mississippi State giving up two runs on 156 pitches and left 11 Bulldog runners on base.
During the 2021 season, Bowen came on strong in the circle near the end of the year and pitched in critical games including a start in the WCWS against Alabama where she gave up two runs in four innings of work.
"In all honesty, I think it's just the time is right now, and just going out there like I always do. Command and attack the zone," Bowen said about her approach to the WCWS. "I'm just here to win, and I felt like right now everything is starting to click as a whole. Not only for myself, but with this team, and we're just ready to go."
