PALM SPRINGS, Calif. -- Arizona senior pitcher
Alyssa Denham shut out Auburn, scattering four hits over a complete-game gem, leading the Wildcats to a 2-0 victory over Auburn in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Saturday morning in Palm Springs.
Denham (4-1) threw her second shutout in as many starts after tossing one on Friday vs. San Diego State. On Saturday, she fanned four and walked two while giving up four singles and working around a trio of uncharacteristic defensive errors by the UA infield.
Offensively, the Wildcats managed just two hits against a pair of Auburn pitchers, but were able to manufacture a couple of runs via a pair of sacrifice flies.
Alyssa Palomino-Cardoza and
Ivy Davis brought in the runs for the Cats.
Arizona used the speed of
Janelle Meono to get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning. The freshman led off the frame with an infield single, stole second and advanced to third on an error. She then raced home on an Palomino-Cardoza sacrifice fly that gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead after three.
UA doubled its lead without a hit in the subsequent inning. After a pair of walks led off the frame, UA used a pair of productive fly ball outs, including a Davis sac fly, to score a run.
The two-run lead was enough for Denham, who cruised the game with relative ease. The lead appeared to be in jeopardy in the seventh when an infield single and an error put the tying runs on base with nobody out, but Denham used a double play and a ground ball to get out of the jam and end the game.
Arizona improved to 12-3 on the season with a 3-2 showing in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. Auburn fell to 9-6.
The Wildcats now turn their attention to their final road tournament of the season -- the Easton Crimson Classic -- next weekend in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Arizona will face the host Crimson Tide twice, McNeese State twice and UT Arlington once in the three-day tournament. It will take place Feb. 28-March 1 at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa.
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