After Arizona stranded three runners in the third inning, a rainbow peeked through the gray clouds behind Hillenbrand Stadium. It may have been a sign of what was to come.
Aleah Craighton led off the fourth inning with a solo home run and, after two outs, the 10th-ranked Wildcats tacked on six more runs on the way to a 9-0 win over Oregon State.
“Each game is a battle for sure,” shortstop Jessie Harper said. “I know one at-bat isn’t going to determine the next at-bat, and one inning isn’t going to determine the next inning.”
Arizona’s defense didn’t allow any hits in the fifth and walked away with a run-rule win.
“I’m very, very proud of them tonight, the way they came out and swung the bats,” coach Mike Candrea said. “It was just very complete game.”
The Wildcats got the early lead in the first inning when an Oregon State error put Harper on second base and scored Reyna Carranco, who had made it to second on a previous fielding error.
OSU shortstop McKenna Arriola made three errors. Candrea said Arriola had a tough night, but it was the Wildcats’ job to capitalize.
“At this level, that’s what happens,” Candrea said. “You give people four outs an inning, it’s usually going to come back and bite you. She had a tough night tonight, but I’m sure she’ll rebound tomorrow.”
The explosive offense resulted in eight different batters scoring the nine runs. Dejah Mulipola scored twice — once on a solo home run — and Jenna Kean, Carranco, Alyssa Palomino, Harper, Malia Martinez, Ivy Davis and Craighton each scored once apiece.
UA ace Taylor McQuillin struck out two batters while walking one and allowing one hit in five innings.
McQuillin said having hot bats in Friday’s game really boosted her confidence, especially after Wednesday’s tough win over New Mexico. She said the team has struggled finding the right mindset throughout the season.
“(I was) kind of saying ‘hey, we’re going to have to turn this around or we’re going to sink real quick,’” McQuillin said. “I think that’s the key just changing our mindset, going out there, believing we can do something and executing the way we know how.”
The Wildcats are done with the tough portion of their schedule, in which they played four top-10 Pac-12 opponents in five weeks, and are now playing unranked conference and nonconference opponents. Still, McQuillin said they’re not going to take these last few weeks easy.
“The name on the jersey doesn’t mean anything,” McQuillin said. “Going out there, I have to give 100 percent at everything I’ve got, every time.”
The teams will continue their series Saturday.
