(Tucson, AZ) With the win Thursday night, the Cats improved to 36-7 on the season and (13-0) in PAC-12 play, extending their winning streak to eighteen games.
During this stretch, Zona has established themselves as one of the nation’s top offenses. The Wildcats lead the country in homeruns with eighty-one, which is fifth in the NCAA in scoring averaging at 7.31 runs a game. They are second in the nation at slugging percentage at sixty-three percent. It all hasn’t been the offense though; the pitching staff has put things together for the fifth best ERA in the nation.
Arizona put Alyssa Denham in the circle to face the Cardinal to try to extend Zona’s eighteen game winning streak. During Denham’s last three starts she has given up just one run with sixteen strikeouts along the way. It was much of the same for Denham in the first couple innings giving up just one hit. She also got a little help from her defense keeping Stanford off the bases.
Thursday night before the Wildcats had trouble getting things going only generating one baserunner through the first two innings. That wasn’t the case Friday thanks to Dejah Mulipola who launched her nineteenth homerun of the season over the center field wall to put the Cats up 1-0 early in the game.
After another scoreless inning pitched from Denham Arizona didn’t waste any time adding on to their lead. In the third inning the Cats were able to get baserunners on with two outs in front of Mulipola. The entire at-bat Mulipola battle forcing the count full. Ultimately the power hitter not only won the at-bat but delivered a devastating blow with a three-run bomb over the left field wall to put the Cats up 4-0.
Throughout the game Stanford was able to hit the ball hard, but they weren’t falling. In the fifth inning they were finally able to break through on the score board when Whitney Burke’s Sent one over the left field wall making it a 4-1 Arizona lead. The next batter got a base hit between third and short.
Coach Candrea went to his bullpen pulling Denham in the fourth inning by bringing in Hanah Bowen To squash the threat. Bowen did her job leaving the Cardinal baserunner stranded at second.
Denham finished the night on sixty-six pitches. She only walked a single batter and struck out four, giving up only three hits. She had good control with a lot of ball movement.
With a 4-1 lead the Wildcats had the top of the order to open the bottom of the fifth inning. Arizona got things started with a base hit from Alyssa Palomino-Cardoza putting the pressure on Stanford. After back-to-back walks Arizona had the bases loaded with the star of the night in Mulipola up to the plate. This time she didn’t homer, still she hit a missile right at third base which wasn’t handled well allowing Arizona to score making it 5-1 Zona.
The Cats got another run from a bases loaded walk to Malia Martinez to make it 6-1. The Cats added to their lead on a Hillary Edior double which scored two more runs and extended their lead to 8-1. The last three games Edior has collected two home run and four RBIs. Rylee Pierce ended the game with an RBI single to finish off the game As Zona went on to a run rule 9-1 victory.
The victory extended Arizona’s winning streak to nineteen games and (14-0) in the PAC-12. This was another milestone in Coach Candrea’s illustrious career with win number 1,600 to cap off the night for the Arizona Wildcats.
The series wraps up on Saturday at noon with the. Cats going for another sweep.
