The No. 10-ranked Arizona softball team ran its winning streak to eight with a doubleheader sweep of visiting Grand Canyon on Saturday at Hillenbrand Stadium.
The Wildcats (37-13) won 1-0 and then 9-0 in preparation for their final Pac-12 series of the year. The Wildcats host Grand Canyon for one more game Sunday before visiting last-place Stanford for three games starting Thursday.
Taylor McQuillin (23-9) pitched a three-hit shutout in the opener, striking out seven. UA got its only run in the sixth on Malia Martinez’s solo homer. UA was held to five hits in the game by Antelopes pitcher Brianna Aguilar (10-14).
The Wildcat offense exploded in the second game, which ended in six innings. Arizona blasted five homers: two by Jessie Harper, two by Alyssa Palomino and one by Jenna Kean.
Kean’s two-run shot instituted the mercy rule. Palomino and Kean each drove in three runs to back Alyssa Denham (10-3), who allowed four hits and struck out five.
Grand Canyon fell to 27-25.
