Courtesy of Arizona Sports Information
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — Arizona defeated North Carolina 10-0 (5) and Missouri 9-4 on the first day of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
The Cats continue the Mary Nutter on Friday vs. St. John’s and CSUN beginning at 11 a.m. MST.
Arizona 10, North Carolina 0 (5 innings)
Paced by a seven-run fourth inning and a second-consecutive one-hitter by Taylor McQuillin, Arizona defeated North Carolina 10-0 in five innings to open the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
McQuillin, who did not allow a UNC hit until the fourth, struck out six in her third shutout of the season. McQuillin allowed one hit and walked one while improving to 6-1 on the season.
UA plated its 10 runs on 11 hits. Alyssa Palomino hit Arizona’s only home run of the day to lead off the second. Ashleigh Hughes (2), Reyna Carranco (1), Dejah Mulipola (1) and Carli Campbell (1) added RBI for UA.
Arizona kicked off the scoring with an Alyssa Palomino home run to lead off the second.
In the third, UA added to the lead courtesy off a North Carolina error and a Mulipola sacrifice fly.
The Cats struck for seven runs on eight hits in the fourth, plating all seven prior to recording an out. Carli Campbell, Ashleigh Hughes, Reyna Carranco and Dejah Mulipola all had RBI for the Cats in the inning.
Arizona 9, Missouri 4
Arizona scored six runs in the top of the seventh to erase a 4-3 deficit and earn a huge come-from-behind, 9-4 victory over Missouri in the nightcap.
Missouri hit two home runs in the first six batters of the game to take an early 3-0 lead, a lead that would stand as UA’s offense struggled to get going until breaking through for nine runs over the final three frames, punctuated by six runs in the seventh inning.
Jessie Harper had three key RBI on the night, two in the fifth to open the UA scoring and then the game-tying RBI single in the seventh. Alyssa Palomino went 3-for-4, including the go-ahead two-run single in the seventh. Carli Campbell had a career-best three hits as well, including a single to start the rally in the top of the seventh.
Taylor McQuillin was dominant in relief for UA, pitching the final six innings of the game after throwing five innings earlier in the day vs. North Carolina. McQuillin allowed one run on two hits in the relief appearance with seven strikeouts. Her second win of the day improved the junior to 7-1 on the year.
Missouri hit two homers in the first two innings to take a 3-0 lead and chase Denham in favor of McQuillin.
After UA cut into the lead with a two-run triple from Harper, Missouri hit its third homer of the game to go up 4-2 in the fifth.
The Cats cut the lead to one, taking advantage of a leadoff single from Alyssa Palomino and using an error and a wild pitch to plate the run.
Singles by Carli Campbell and Reyna Carranco set the table for Harper, who singled through the left side to tie the game in the seventh. Alyssa Palomino singled in a pair to put the Cats on top for good. Malia Martinez and Campbell insured the lead for McQuillin, who closed the door in the bottom of the seventh.
