TEMPE, Ariz. - Mandie Perez posted a career-high four hits, none bigger than her two-out, two-run homer in the seventh inning to lead Arizona over ASU 5-4 and clinch the series over the 21st-ranked Sun Devils.
Arizona was down to its last out, trailing 4-3 in the top of the seventh. That's when Perez drilled a Breanna Macha 0-1 pitch to center field to turn the one-run deficit into a one-run lead.
It was the second straight game Arizona used a two-out, two-run home run in the top of the seventh to change the game. Joelle Krist broke a scoreless tie in the seventh with a two-run homer in game 1 on Friday, giving the Cats a 1-0 series lead; Perez clinched the series with hers on Saturday.
Perez posted career highs with four hits and two home runs in a game which Arizona notched six total hits off ASU pitcher Macha.
Taylor McQuillin pitched the first six innings for Arizona and allowed four runs, three earned, all coming on Chelsea Gonzales' fourth-inning three-run home run. McQuillin struck out three and walked two in the outing, picking up the victory to improve to 8-3 on the year.
Danielle O'Toole shut the door in the seventh to pick up her second save of the season.
After UA scattered just three hits in game 1, Mandie Perez turned around Macha's first pitch of the game into centerfield for a single. She moved to second on a passed ball, third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Katiyana Mauga's sacrifice fly to give Arizona a 1-0 lead in the first.
Perez added to the Arizona lead with a two-run homer in the third. It was her sixth of the year, a new career high just 28 games into her junior season.
ASU's first hit of the game put runners on the corners with no one out in the bottom of the third. The Sun Devils scored their first run of the series on an errant throw, but McQuillin limited the damage to the single run to keep Arizona on top 3-1 after three.
In the fourth, a walk and a single put the first two Sun Devils on for Chelsea Gonzales, who hit her team-high eighth homer of the year to put ASU up 4-3.
The Sun Devils took their 4-3 lead to the top of the seventh.
Lauren Young led off the frame with a walk and was pinch run for by Merrilee Miller. Joelle Krist executed a sacrifice bunt to get Miller into scoring position with one out. Ashleigh Hughes grounded out to put Arizona down to its final out.
Macha got ahead 0-1 before Perez ripped the next pitch over the center field fence to give Arizona the lead.
O'Toole shut the door in the seventh.
Up Next: The Wildcats will go for their first sweep of the Sun Devils since 2009 on Sunday at 5 p.m. at Farrington Stadium. The game will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.
Follow Arizona Softball: For continued coverage of Arizona Wildcat softball, visit ArizonaWildcats.com and be sure to follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (@UA_Softball).
