TUCSON, Ariz. – A matchup between the top two offenses in the Pac-12 did not disappoint on Friday night, as the 16th-ranked Arizona softball team and 18th-ranked Washington Huskies combined for 20 runs, 14 of which were scored by the home team, as the Cats needed just five innings to earn the 14-6, mercy-rule victory in game 1.
The Wildcats (32-9, 7-3 Pac-12), coming off a 22-3 victory over Oregon State in Corvallis in which they scored eight and seven runs, respectively, in the final two innings, plated 10 runs in the bottom of the first vs. three Washington pitchers.
UA tagged starter Kasey Stancheck (13-5) for six runs before getting four more on Hailey Bator. Both pitchers were able to get just one out apiece in the first.
Arizona’s 14 runs gave it 63 runs in its last five games, all wins. The 63 runs are the most in five-conference-game stretch since 1998. The 14 runs on Friday night are the most vs. a top-20 squad since defeating No. 7 ASU 14-2 (5) on April 3, 2010.
The run-rule victory was Arizona’s 15th of the season, and third in the last five games.
The Wildcats hit three home runs in the game, but none more exciting than Chelsea Suitos’ first-inning grand slam that put Arizona up 9-0. It was the redshirt senior’s first career home run. Suitos went 3-for-4 in the contest.
Katiyana Mauga hit her 17th homer of the season, tying her for the Pac-12 lead while Kellie Fox also went deep in the game. All three homers came during Arizona’s 10-run first.
Hallie Wilson extended her hitting streak to a career-long-tying 15 games with a two-run double in the fourth inning, two of her three RBI in the contest.
Trish Parks earned the victory in relief of Michelle Floyd to improve to 12-4 on the season. Parks went 2.2 innings and did not allow a run on two hits. The freshman walked two and struck out one in the outing. Floyd was hurt by walks and shoddy defense behind her as she allowed six runs, just two earned, on four hits in 2.1 innings. Arizona committed two errors that allowed four unearned runs to score in the third inning.
After Wilson hit a fly ball to center to start the bottom of the first, the next seven Wildcats would reach base, including a three-run Mauga homer that put Arizona on top four batters into the bottom of the third. A Goodacre single and two walks loaded the bases for Lauren Young, who drew an RBI walk to put Arizona up 4-0 in the first. Eva Watson fouled out and the Huskies were on the verge of escaping further damage. Wilson then drew an RBI walk before Suitos stepped into the batter’s box.
Suitos entered the at-bat with 178 career hits, just nine of which went for extra-bases, all doubles. The senior sent a 3-1 pitch off the batter’s eye in center for her first career home run – a grand slam that put Arizona on top 9-0. Kellie Fox followed with a solo shot to give Arizona a 10-0 lead after one inning.
The Huskies (34-10, 6-6 Pac-12) fought back in the third, sending 10 to the plate and scoring six runs with the help of two Wildcat errors.
Arizona got two of the runs back in the fourth when Wilson sent a two-out double to right field to plate a pair and put the Cats up 12-6.
Two singles and an error loaded the bases for the Cats in fifth, searching for their third run-rule victory in five games. Mandie Perez and Mo Mercado singled in runs to accomplish just that, giving the Cats a 14-6 game-1 victory.
Arizona will go for the series victory on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Hillenbrand Stadium. The game will be televised on the Pac-12 Networks.
For more information on Arizona softball, check out www.arizonawildcats.com and be sure to follow the team’s Twitter and Instagram accounts (@UA_Softball).
