TUCSON, Ariz. – Thirteenth-ranked Arizona State entered the weekend series with No. 11 Arizona as the nation's top scoring team by more than a run (9.12 runs/game) and led the country in home runs (64) and slugging percentage (.696).
 
Don't tell that to Arizona pitchers Taylor McQuillin and Alyssa Denham.
 
Arizona's 1-2 punch in the circle shut the Sun Devils down not once, not twice, but in all three games during Arizona's three-game sweep, which the Wildcats finished off with a 2-0 win on Sunday to improve to 9-0 in Pac-12 play.
 
ASU finished the series with six total hits, two in each game, and had a runner reach scoring position in just five of its 17 offensive innings. Arizona's offense, meanwhile, hit six home runs and outscored the Sun Devils 18-0 over the three games.
 
UA's shutout sweep marks its first since the conference moved to three-game series in 2010 and marks the first time the Wildcats have ever shutout the Sun Devils during a season series. The Wildcats have now shutout each of their last four opponents, allowing six total hits in those four games, their longest in-conference shutout streak since May 3-8, 2008.
 
McQuillin backed up her two-hit shutout in game 1 with another in game 3, this time needing all seven innings without the mercy-rule offense that she was supported with on Friday. The senior struck out seven and walked two in the masterpiece to improve to 12-5 on the season.
 
Offensively, the Wildcats were led by Rylee Pierce, who had both of UA's RBI in the game. She broke open a scoreless game with an RBI single in the fourth and then provided insurance with her third home run of the season in the sixth.
 
Arizona improved to 9-0 in conference play for just the fourth time in school history, joining 2017 (13-0), 2004 (9-0) and 1994 (23-0). Overall, the Wildcats are 27-7 and have won nine straight games, their longest winning streak of the season.
 
UA will now play five games over five days next week, beginning with a Wednesday doubleheader with UTEP (2 & 4 p.m.) and three-game series at Utah (Friday-Sunday).
 
KEY INNINGS
 
Bottom 4: After being held off the scoreboard for the first three innings, Arizona finally broke through in the fourth. Malia Martinez walked to start the inning and then moved to third on a Tamara Statman single to put runners at the corners for Rylee Pierce, who singled home Martinez to give the Cats the early lead. Relief pitcher Cielo Meza, though, retired the next three Wildcats to limit the damage to the single run. (1-0, UA)
 
Bottom 6: Rylee Pierce doubled the lead with a solo homer off the batter's eye in center to provide McQuillin some insurance. (2-0, UA)
 
Top 7: Needed at least two runs to extend the game, Arizona State put its first two runners on in the seventh via a leadoff walk and single. Facing the heart of the ASU order, McQuillin retired the next three batters with ease to end the game. (2-0, UA)
 
UP NEXT
 
Arizona will play five games next week, beginning with a Wednesday doubleheader vs. UTEP (2 & 4 p.m.) before heading to Salt Lake City for a three-game series.
 
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