Arizona Wildcats' season ended with sweep by UCLA

LOS ANGELES — The Arizona Wildcats pressed the metaphorical reset button entering Game 2 of the Los Angeles Super Regional Friday. Arizona’s defense pulled off a spectacular double play to help prevent the Bruins from getting an early jump on the scoring, and Alyssa Palomino kicked off the first inning with a two-run homer into the trees beyond the right-field wall at Easton Stadium.

Then Arizona fell back into its old ways.

No. 3 UCLA rallied to edge the 14th-seeded Wildcats 3-2, resulting in Arizona’s elimination. Friday’s loss followed a 7-1 dismantling in Thursday’s opener.

“I thought today we came out and competed in the circle and better at the plate, but just fell short,” said Arizona coach Mike Candrea.

The Bruins will continue on to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City for the fourth consecutive season.

The series loss was indicative of Arizona’s struggles this season. The Wildcats went 43-16, but were 13-11 in Pac-12 play.

Top-ranked Washington and fifth-ranked Oregon both swept Arizona.

Friday marked the Bruins’ fifth consecutive win over the Wildcats this season. They swept a series in Tucson last month.

“We have long respect for coach Candrea and Arizona softball,” UCLA coach Kelly Inouye-Perez said. “Just battles between them, and you got to see that tonight.

“I have the most pride for my Bruins and how they have set their minds to being able to be in this position and get back to the World Series.”

UCLA scored the game’s final three runs, one at a time starting in the second inning.

The Bruins loaded the bases in the second with a pair of walks off UA ace Taylor McQuillin and a single by Bubba Nickles.

McQuillin then hit Taylor Pack, cutting Arizona’s lead to 2-1.

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The Bruins tied the game in the third on a Nickles single that scored Briana Perez, who had reached base on a double.

In the fourth, UCLA put together three two-out singles to take the lead.

McQuillin pitched a complete game, allowing eight hits, walking five and striking out four.

Candrea said he was very pleased with the way McQuillin performed in Game 2 after a lackluster Game 1, when she was lifted for reliever Alyssa Denham.

“I thought she took a big step in the right direction, understanding what she’s got to do to be effective against good hitters,” Candrea said.

“And I thought tonight she did a very good job of that. We just have to get better at tough situations and tough pitchers. And we will.”

McQuillin said she wanted to “get the ball and perform for my team because I was unable to do that (Thursday). So I wanted to show them that I could still come out today and give them a hell of a fight.”

The Bruins’ Rachel Garcia also pitched the entire game, but only allowed four hits while walking one and striking out 10.

Jessie Harper led Arizona’s offensive charge again, contributing two of the Wildcats’ four hits.

Harper finished the Super Regional with four hits. Her teammates combined for just three.

Candrea credited Garcia for pitching a great game and preventing Arizona from getting any key hits.

“My biggest thing today was committing to our swings — looking for a pitch that looks good and commit to it,” Candrea said. “I thought we committed to it tonight, but we sometimes just don’t get the key hits we needed.”