CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Fifth-ranked Arizona softball scored 10 combined runs in the sixth and seventh innings of Saturday's doubleheader with Oregon State, helping the Wildcats sweep the Beavers to open Pac-12 play. Arizona defeated Oregon State 6-2 and 7-1 to improve to 28-1, 2-0 Pac-12.
Game 1: #5 Arizona 6, Oregon State 2
Katiyana Mauga hit home runs in the sixth and seventh innings, helping Arizona erase a late 2-1 deficit to defeat Oregon State in the Pac-12-opener, 6-2.
Arizona scored four runs in the top of the seventh to win what was a pitchers' duel between Arizona's
Danielle O'Toole and two OSU pitchers.
O'Toole allowed two runs, both of which came on a two-run homer by Sammi Noland in the fourth inning. O'Toole allowed five hits and struck out six with one walk while improving to 14-1 on the season.
Taylor Cotton pitched 5.1 strong innings for Oregon State, allowing two runs on five hits with two strikeouts and two walks before being replaced by Meehra Nelson, who gave up the four Arizona runs in the seventh. Nelson fell to 3-2 on the year.
Mauga's two homers marked her first multi-homer game since March 4, 2016 vs. BYU. Her homer in the sixth inning tied the game before a three-run homer in the seventh game O'Toole three runs of insurance.
Alyssa Palomino had two key hits as well. The freshman homered in the fourth to start the scoring and then broke the 2-2 tie with a two-out RBI single in the seventh.
Mandie Perez and
Ashleigh Hughes joined Palomino and Mauga with multi-hit efforts.
After three scoreless innings,
Alyssa Palomino led off the fourth with a solo homer to center to put the Cats on top 1-0.
The lead was short-lived, however, as Sammi Noland hit a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the inning to put the Beavers on top 2-1.
That lead would stand until Mauga hit a solo homer in the sixth to tie the game.
In the seventh,
Ashleigh Hughes and
Mandie Perez singled to put two on and get the go-ahead run into scoring position. With two out and a 2-2 count, Palomino singled to center to plate Hughes and give Arizona the lead. The next batter, Mauga, hit a three-run shot, her second homer of the game, to insure the lead.
O'Toole shut the door in the seventh to give the Cats the victory.
Game 2: #5 Arizona 7, Oregon State 1
Taylor McQuillin struck out 14 Beavers in a complete-game four-hitter as the Wildcats defeated Oregon State 7-1 in game 2.
McQuillin has fanned double-digit batters in three straight games and has not allowed an earned run in 28.1 innings. The sophomore lowered her ERA to 0.56 and improved to 8-0 on the year.
The offense supported McQuillin with seven runs on nine hits. The bats came alive in the late innings for the second consecutive game. The Wildcats plated two runs in the sixth and three in the seventh to insure what was a 2-1 UA lead through five innings.
Jessie Harper went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored while
Reyna Carranco had her first career multi-hit game, going 2-for-2 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Hillary Edior, who entered in the fifth inning, replacing
Dejah Mulipola, who injured herself earlier in the game, doubled in two runs in the sixth.
Harper got the scoring going in the top of the second with an RBI double to plate
Katiyana Mauga from first. Harper moved to third on a single from
Tamara Statman and scored on a single to left field by Carranco.
Oregon State got one run back in the bottom of the inning, cashing in on an Arizona error. Natalie Hampton reached on an error to start the inning and scored on an RBI double by Alysha Everett.
The 2-1 score would stand until Edior doubled to left field to plate Carranco and
Ashleigh Hughes to give the Cats a 4-1 lead.
Arizona added to the lead in the seventh. Arizona loaded the bases with three singles before Hughes singled to center. Hughes' single plus a Beaver error plated two runs and
Mandie Perez followed with a sacrifice fly to give the Cats a 7-1 lead.
Up Next: Arizona and Oregon State wrap up the series at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
Follow Arizona Softball: For further coverage of Arizona softball, visit ArizonaWildcats.com and follow the team's Twitter and Instagram accounts (@UA_Softball).
