Wildcats LHP Taylor McQuillin had 9 strikeouts with one walk and one earned run in five innings.
(Tucson, AZ) Kim Doss
Arizona softball started their effort in the Wildcat Invitational with a complete team game on Thursday night. The Wildcats combined strong pitching, defense and hitting to win by run rule in the fifth inning against the University of South Dakota Coyotes. The all around effort was led by pitcher Taylor McQuillin’s nine strikeouts, and home runs by Alyssa Palomino and Dejah Mulipola. Five Wildcats had at least one RBI.
McQuillin started strong, striking out the side in the top of the first. Not to be outdone, the offense also got off to a hot start, with leadoff hitter Palomino hitting the second pitch out of the park to put UA up 1-0. Back-to-back doubles by Reyna Carranco and Jessie Harper put the Wildcats up 2-0. Malia Martinez also got a hit to give Arizona two runs on four hits out of the gate.
Taylor McQuillin delivers a pitch to a South Dakota Coyotes hitter.
The Wildcats continued their efficient game, setting the Coyotes down in order in the second, while scoring another run on a hit, a walk and a South Dakota error. When the second inning ended on a Aleah Craighton fly out to shallow center, Arizona was up 3-0.
The only real trouble McQuillin faced came in the third inning. South Dakota designated player Emily Winckler got her team within two runs on the first pitch of the inning, sending the ball over the fence to the deepest part of center field. McQuilling quickly regrouped, striking out two of the next three batters and getting a pop-up to Carranco at second. The Wildcats got the run back in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single from Carli Campbell, ending the inning with a 4-1 lead.
Both teams turned to defense in the fifth inning. McQuillin and South Dakota left-hander Sarah Lisko relied on double plays turned behind them for 1-2-3 innings. The game was still close over halfway through. That ended with an offensive explosion by the Wildcats in the bottom of the fifth.
After her counterpart again sat down the side in order on two strikeouts and a comebacker to the mound, Lisko returned to face the Wildcats hitters in the bottom of the inning. Mulipola stepped to the plate and hit her fourth home run of the season. Facing a 0-1 count, Mulipola launched the ball over the left field bleachers, presumably sending it somewhere in the Robson Tennis Center next door. While Lisko got the next batter out, she left the game after two more Wildcats reached base. She would take the loss, putting her season record at 2-5.
UA SS Jessie Harper steps up to hit in the 5th inning with the bases loaded.
Redshirt freshman Alexis Devers faced a Wildcats offense on a roll with two on base. She also struggled to put an end to the inning. Pinch hitter Joelle Krist came in for Jenna Kean, taking a 2-0 pitch to right field for an RBI single. With runners on the corners and a 6-1 lead, it looked like Palomino would put an end to the game when she hit a long fly ball to center field. The ball stayed up just enough to keep it in the park, though, turning into a long RBI single. After loading the bases by walking Carranco on four straight pitches, Devers was also be lifted for a reliever.
Freshman right-hander Gillian Woodward looked like she might be able to extend the game for her team. Facing loaded bases and the dangerous Harper at the plate, Woodward was able to get Harper to hit into a fielder’s choice that forced out the runner at home. Unfortunately for the Coyotes, she couldn’t get the third out. After walking in a run, Woodward gave up a hit down the left field line to Mulipola, ending the game with a 9-1 score.
