Izzy Pacho leads Arizona’s celebration after the Wildcats defeated Mississippi State in the first game of the Starkville Super Regional (Arizona athletics photo)
Izzy Pacho knows how dreams can be fulfilled and it goes beyond Arizona’s magical run to the Women’s College World Series, a trip that she admits the Wildcats “didn’t even think was going to happen, to be honest with you” before the postseason began.
“For me personally, when we won that last game (at Mississippi State in the Starkville Super Regional on Saturday), it didn’t hit me,” Pacho said before practice Tuesday at Oklahoma City, site of the WCWS. “I was super excited and super happy.
“Obviously, we won, but it didn’t hit me until last night or the night before. I was sitting in my room just talking to (Allie) Skaggs and it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, we did this.’ … We believe in each other, but we hit such a low that it was kind of hard to keep hope. We were sitting there talking to each other and I started tearing up.”
Arizona started 0-8 in the Pac-12 and finished tied for last in the conference at 8-16, but those numbers obviously are not indicative of what the Wildcats were all about this season under first-year coach Caitlin Lowe — an ideal leader who never flinched despite the criticism placed on her from the peanut gallery.
ARIZONA IN THE WOMEN’S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES
Thursday Opening Round Games
Oklahoma City
Game 1: 9 a.m. | Texas vs. No. 5 UCLA | ESPN
Game 2: 11:30 a.m. | No. 9 Northwestern vs. No. 1 Oklahoma | ESPN
Game 3: 4 p.m. | Oregon State vs. No. 14 Florida | ESPN
Game 4: 6:30 p.m. | Arizona vs. No. 7 Oklahoma State | ESPN
Lowe never made the excuse that she had to replace a legend such as Mike Candrea. Not once did she lay blame on her players for their shortcomings early in the conference season. Other coaches routinely fall into that trap of insecurity.
Lowe took the approach that passoniate players such as Pacho deserved her unwavering respect and support through those difficult times. As the year went on, that bond made Arizona strong enough to make the unthinkable WCWS run possible.
Pacho became emotional as she continued to describe her conversation with Skaggs, a fellow Ironwood Ridge High School graduate.
“When I was talking with her, I looked back at my Little League self — my 6, 7, 8 year old self — and this is what I’ve always wanted to do,” Pacho said. “I wanted to come to the World Series, not only on the bench and being the best teammate I could be, but being a key player to this team that takes their team to that next level.”
Pacho then turned the conversation to …….