LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Third-ranked UCLA scored five straight runs after No. 6 Arizona took a 3-0 lead in game 2, defeating the Wildcats, 5-4 on Friday to even the series.
 
UCLA clinched at least a share of the Pac-12 Championship and ended Arizona's hopes of a conference title.
 
Jessie Harper and Dejah Mulipola hit early home runs that gave Arizona a 3-0 lead heading into the bottom of the third inning, but the Bruins plated five two-out runs over the next two innings to turn that three-run deficit to a two-run lead. The Wildcats loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the seventh inning, but were only able to plate a single run.
 
Harper's first-inning homer, a solo shot to left, was her second of the series and 25th of the season to tie the NCAA lead. It was also the 62nd of her career, moving into solo seventh in UA history.
 
Alyssa Denham was charged with five runs over 3.2 innings. She struck out five and gave up six hits in the loss (11-5). Hanah Bowen entered in relief and did not allow a run over 2.1 innings, giving up two hits in the process.
 
The Wildcats (41-12, 18-5 Pac-12) and Bruins (46-4, 20-3 Pac-12) meet in the rubber match on Saturday at noon, with Arizona looking for its first series win vs. UCLA since 2011.
 
KEY INNINGS
 
Top 1: Jessie Harper hit her second home run of the weekend and NCAA-lead-tying 25th of the season, a solo homer with one out in the top of the first, to give Arizona the early lead. (1-0, UA)
 
Top 3: After Malia Martinez led off the top of the third inning with a single through the left side, Dejah Mulipola hit a two-run homer to give the Cats a three-run lead. (3-0, UA)
 
Bottom 3: After Denham retired the first two Bruins of the bottom of the third, a two-out single followed by a home run got the Bruins back within one. (3-2, UA)
 
Bottom 4: UCLA plated four two-out runs to take a 5-3 lead after four innings. (5-3, UCLA)

Top 7: Arizona loaded the bases with nobody out in the top of the seventh inning. Rachel Garcia re-entered the game and retired the next two Wildcats before hitting Dejah Mulipola to drive in a run. After falling behind 3-1 to the next batter, Rylee Pierce, she recovered to induce a game-ending groundout.
 
UP NEXT
 
Arizona will look to win its first series vs. UCLA since 2011 in game 3 on Saturday at 12 p.m. MST.
 
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