TUCSON, Ariz. -- For the second straight game, home runs by Jessie Harper and Hannah Martinez backed up a gem by a Wildcat pitcher, and for the second straight game, Arizona won 9-1 in six innings, this time vs. South Dakota to open the Wildcat Invitational at Hillenbrand Stadium.

Mariah Lopez was brilliant in the circle for Arizona, allowing just one baserunner, a fifth-inning solo homer, in an otherwise perfect outing. She fanned six and did not walk a batter over the six-inning flirt with perfection. She tied the NCAA lead with 11 wins, improving to 11-2 on the year.

Lopez's gem was supported by an Arizona offense that plated six runs over the final two innings, including a five-spot to end the game in the sixth. Harper and Hannah Martinez connected on long balls, two of Arizona's four extra-base hits in the game. Hannah Martinez also hit an RBI double and Alyssa Palomino-Cardoza roped an RBI triple in the game.

For Hannah Martinez, it marked her fourth and fifth extra-base hits in her last eight at-bats, stretching back to last weekend in Tuscaloosa. She did not have an extra-base hit on the season prior to this stretch.

Harper's homer was the team-leading eighth of the season for the senior. It brought in RBI Nos. 200 and 201 in her career; she is second in career RBI among active players in the NCAA.

Arizona plated three runs in the bottom of the first inning to grab the early lead. Jessie Harper hit a two-run homer to get things going before Hannah Martinez ripped an RBI double to add another. UA led 3-0 after one inning.

After Lopez had retired the first 14 Coyotes of the game, Lauren Wobken hit a solo homer to end the perfect-game, no-hit and shutout bid. 

Arizona responded with an RBI single from Malia Martinez in the bottom of the inning.

The Cats' bats came alive to end the game in the sixth. Hannah Martinez led off the inning with a homer. Ivy Davis followed with a single and Palomino-Cardoza tripled her home. An error by the USD third baseman plated another run before Malia Martinez ripped an RBI single to put the Cats up 8-1. Another error plated the game-winning run to end the game, 9-1.

The Wildcats, winners seven straight games, improved to 18-3 on the season. South Dakota fell to 11-12.

Arizona is back in action twice on Saturday. UA continues the Wildcat Invitational with a doubleheader vs. Boise State and SIUE beginning at 2 p.m. MST on Saturday. The full schedule can be found HERE.


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