TUCSON, Ariz. -- Fourth-ranked Arizona swept a doubleheader with Grand Canyon on Wednesday evening, downing the Antelopes 6-2 and 13-0 (5 inn.) at Hillenbrand Stadium.
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The Wildcats improved to 34-1 with the sweep, their best 35-game start since 2004. UA resumes Pac-12 play this weekend at Cal, meeting the Bears on Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Berkeley. All three games will be televised by the Pac-12 Networks.
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Game 1: #4 Arizona 6, Grand Canyon 2
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Alyssa Palomino and
Mandie Perez had two hits and two RBI apiece, leading Arizona to a 6-2 victory in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader.
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Danielle O'Toole earned the victory in the complete-game effort, allowing two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and two walks. She improved to 17-1 on the season with the victory.
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Palomino gave the Cats the early lead with her third homer in as many games and 10th overall, a solo homer with two out in the bottom of the first.
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The lead was short-lived, though, as Grand Canyon tied the game with an infield single in the second.Â
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In the bottom of the inning,
Jessie Harper was hit by a pitch to lead off and a Carranco single put two on. A GCU error plated one Wildcat run before
Mandie Perez doubled in two more.
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Grand Canyon cut into the lead with an RBI double in the top of the fourth before Palomino batted in her second run of the game with a two-out double in the home half.
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The Cats padded their lead on a Katiyana Mauga sacrifice fly. Mauga was walked three times in addition to her sac fly.
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Game 2: #4 Arizona 13, Grand Canyon 0 (5 inn.)
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Arizona plated 13 runs on nine hits in the nightcap, fueled by an eight-run second inning, as the Cats swept the doubleheader with a 13-0, five-inning victory over GCU.
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Katiyana Mauga hit her Pac-12-best 11th homer of the season and
Hillary Edior hit her first career round-tripper, a pinch-hit solo shot in the fourth.
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Eight different Wildcats had hits in the outing while seven different players drove in runs.
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Mauga (3),
Mo Mercado (3),
Alyssa Palomino (2) and
Dejah Mulipola (2) all had multiple RBI in the contest.
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Taylor McQuillin (11-0) picked up the win, pitching four scoreless innings, allowing four hits with five strikeouts and no walks.
Michelle Floyd pitched a scoreless fifth to end the game.
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Arizona plated eight runs in the bottom of the second to get the scoring started.
Reyna Carranco and
Ashleigh Hughes got the Cats on the board with back-to-back infield RBI singles. They both scored on
Dejah Mulipola's RBI single through the right side. Mauga drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 5-0 before Mercado doubled the bases clear to put Arizona ahead 8-0.
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In the third, Palomino hit a two-run, two-out triple and then scored on Mauga's 11th homer of the season.
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Edior notched her first career homer in the eighth to put the Cats ahead 13-0.
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Up Next: Arizona opens its series with Cal on Friday at 4 p.m. MST.
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