Thereβs no place like home, and the Arizona softball team keeps proving it.
The No. 10-ranked Wildcats (28-8, 7-5) rolled past another opponent at Hillenbrand Stadium on Friday night, blasting five home runs and getting four shutout innings from pitcher Hannah Bowen to beat Utah 12-1 in five innings.
Invoking the mercy rule for the 12th time in 19 home games, Arizona increased its Tucson win streak to 25 games just one week after dropping three of four at No. 12 Arizona State.
βItβs the weirdest thing in the world, and it shouldnβt really affect you,β coach Mike Candrea said. βI really believe we had a lot of people who were pressing, a lot of people who were trying to do way too much.
"These kids are pleasers. You very seldom have to worry about a kid not working hard or caring enough, itβs the opposite with them.
βItβs a game of relaxed skills so if youβre not relaxed, the game gets pretty tough. And I think obviously when weβre in Hillenbrand, weβre a little more relaxed than we are in other places.β
The struggling veterans benefitted the most from some home cooking.
Fifth-year senior Jessie Harper broke out of a 3-for-18 stretch with a double and her 87th career home run, moving her to a tie for fourth on the all-time list. Fifth-year senior Malia Martinez, who entered the game with her lowest average in three seasons, .305, went 3 for 3 with a double and a homer.
Finally, redshirt-junior Hannah βPeanutβ Martinez, who dropped out of the lineup earlier this season due to offensive struggles, had the at-bat of the evening, a 15-pitch single.
Starting off 0-2, she battled back to 3-2, fouling off three-straight pitches three separate times in the seven-minute at-bat. That sparked the blowout.
Janelle Meono followed it with an RBI single to extend her hitting streak to 22 games, and Reyna Carranco and Shalize Palacios both singled to give the Wildcats a 6-0 lead.
Palacios, a redshirt-freshman finished 3 for 3 with 5 RBIs, hitting her 11th and 12th homers of the season. Behind her, Alyssa Palomino-Cardoza returned to the lineup after a scary knee injury against Arizona State. The sixth-year center fielder missed three games after landing awkwardly on first base in last weekβs series opener.
She didnβt look hindered at all Friday, making a diving catch in the first inning.
βIt felt great,β Palomino-Cardoza said. βMy trainer came to me Thursday and asked if I felt OK and ready to go, and I jumped at the opportunity to get back on the field.β
Arizona continues the series against Utah with a doubleheader, starting at 2 p.m. Saturday. Then, the series finale is at noon Sunday.
The Wildcats hope to keep their Tucson magic going as they have just four road games left, at Oregon on May 7-9.
βI just think itβs home, and weβre comfortable here,β Palomino-Cardoza said. βBeing here for two weeks is going to give us a refresher and reset our minds.β
UA's remaining regular-season schedule
Saturday, April 24: Utah at Arizona, 2 p.m.
Saturday, April 24: Utah at Arizona, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 25: Utah at Arizona, noon
Friday, April 30: Cal at Arizona, 6 p.m.
Saturday, May 1: Cal at Arizona, 2 p.m.
Saturday, May 1: Cal at Arizona, 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 2: Cal at Arizona, noon
Friday, May 7: Arizona at Oregon, 5 p.m.
Saturday, May 8: Arizona at Oregon, 1 p.m.
Saturday, May 8: Arizona at Oregon, 3:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 9: Arizona at Oregon, noon
Thursday, May 13: UCLA at Arizona, 6 p.m.
Saturday, May 14: UCLA at Arizona, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 14: UCLA at Arizona, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 15: UCLA at Arizona, 1 p.m.
