OKLAHOMA CITY – The Arizona Wildcats saw their season come to an end late Saturday night, falling to eighth-seeded Alabama 2-0 in Women's College World Series action at Hall of Fame Stadium.
 
The sixth-seeded Wildcats finished the season with a 48-14 record and their 23^rd WCWS appearance in program history. Alabama improved to 59-9 and will face Oklahoma on Sunday.
 
The Cats conceded just two hits all game to the Crimson Tide, but it was just enough for Alabama to get by and top the Wildcats for the second time this season. Arizona pitchers Alyssa Denham and Taylor McQuillin combined for eight strikeouts and just the two hits, but Arizona's offense was shut out for just the second time all season.
 
Denham needed just 10 pitches to work a scoreless first inning in her first WCWS start. After getting two quick outs, Denham got some help from her defense when left fielder Carli Campbell made a diving catch in foul territory down the left field line to rob Crimson Tide designated player Kaylee Tow for the final out of the inning.
 
Denham again cruised in the second, retiring the side in order. The junior right-hander picked up her first two strikeouts of the game in the inning, getting both Claire Jenkins and Reagan Dykes swinging.
 
The Cats picked up their first hit of the game in the second when designated player Reyna Carranco singled for her second hit at the WCWS.
 
Denham ran into trouble in the third inning when she gave up a two-run, two-out double to No. 2 hitter Bailey Hemphill to make it 2-0. She got the final out of the inning, but then gave way to McQuillin after three solid innings.
 
Denham entered the game having allowed just one earned run in two postseason starts and one earned run in her last 16 innings, spanning back to a regular season series with UCLA.
 
McQuillin fired a zero in the fourth, and then the Cats had their first serious threat of the game in the bottom half of the inning. Jessie Harper walked, Dejah Mulipola singled and Rylee Pierce walked to load the bases with one out. After a strikeout, Hanah Bowen laced a ball that was snagged by Hemphill at first base before it could reach the outfield grass.
 
The Wildcats threatened one more time in the fifth, but Campbell was thrown out trying to steal with Jessie Harper at the plate. The Cats then went one-two-three in the sixth.
 
In the seventh, after another scoreless frame from McQuillin, Carranco singled with two outs to put one on for Bowen. But after Bowen reached on a fielder's choice, a strikeout ended the game. Carranco was the lone Wildcat to register a multi-hit game, going 2-for-3 in the loss and bumping her batting average to .420.
 
Denham took the loss to fall to 13-6 on the season. McQuillin tossed four shutout innings, allowing just one hit, finishing her season with a 1.52 ERA.

The game started more than two hours late after a long weather delay earlier in the day.