Seventh-inning sac fly eliminates Wildcats from Women's College World Series, ends season

Arizona Daily Star

Arizona’s 2021 softball season is over. And Mike Candrea’s legendary career as the Wildcats' coach may be, too.

Cassidy Davis lifted a sacrifice fly to left field in the bottom of the seventh inning, and Florida State beat the Wildcats 4-3 in Saturday’s Women's College World Series elimination game in Oklahoma City. The sac fly off reliever Mariah Lopez came following a FSU single and a one-out error by the Wildcats, and eliminated the UA from its 24th Women’s College World Series appearance.

The Wildcats were on the hunt for their ninth WCWS championship under Candrea, who is widely rumored to be retiring after 36 seasons at the UA. ESPN cameras followed Candrea as he removed the lineup card from the dugout, packed his bag and departed to the clubhouse following the loss. Pitching coach Taryne Mowatt-McKinney sniffed back tears as he did.

Arizona tied the game in the top of the seventh, when Carranco drove home Janelle Meoño from first with one out. With the go-ahead run on second base, Jessie Harper reached on an infield single, with the runner freezing at second. Dejah Mulipola and Sharlie Palacios then both grounded out.

Arizona’s rally came after Dani Morgan hooked a three-run home run inside the left-field foul pole with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, giving the Seminoles a 3-2 lead. It was just Morgan's third home run of the season — her other two came in an April 18 against Syracuse.

Arizona got on the board in the third inning, when Malia Martinez crushed a solo home run to left field, staking the Wildcats to a 1-0 lead in the elimination game. Carlie Scupin’s sacrifice fly to left field in the fourth made it 2-0, but the Wildcats could do no more damage in the frame.

Arizona second baseman Reyna Carranco (5) gets out Florida State infielder Sydney Sherrill (24) at second base in the first inning of Arizona's game against Florida State during day three of the 2021 Women's College World Series at the USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City on June 5, 2021. Arizona ended their season with a 4-3 loss against Florida State.
Rebecca Sasnett, Arizona Daily Star

Meanwhile, Arizona pitcher Alyssa Denham — tabbed to start the all-important game — cruised through the first three innings, holding FSU to a series of groundouts, before running into trouble in the fourth. With two out, Denham threw eight consecutive balls to load the bases. Candrea went to the bullpen, calling on Lopez — a transfer from Oklahoma who did not pitch in Thursday’s WCWS — to get the Wildcats out of a jam. She got Morgan to fly out to center field, ending the inning.

Denham walked three without striking out a batter in 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Lopez allowed three runs on two hits in three innings, walking two and striking out three. FSU's Kathryn Sandercock took the win after entering the game with one out in the fourth.