The wind was swirling Friday night. Every ball hit into the air seemed to die in the Hillenbrand Stadium outfield.
This was not good news for the ninth-ranked Arizona Wildcats, who opened Pac-12 play against Utah boasting a roster full of home run hitters. The UA had to wait for its opportunities and pounce when one presented itself.
In the fifth inning, Jessie Harper did just that. The sophomore belted a three-run homer just over the left field wall, and Arizona won 4-1. The home win was much-needed following the Wildcats’ 1-0 loss to Minnesota on Wednesday.
“This past week, the wind has been consistent, so we’ve been trying to hit line drives,” Harper said. “I don’t like playing in the wind. Having it Wednesday helped us today.”
Harper, who leads the team with nine home runs and 29 RBIs, entered Friday’s game ranked third in the Pac-12 in homers and tied for seventh in RBIs.
In the bottom of the fifth, Alyssa Palomino reached on a walk, and Reyna Carranco hit a single to center, bringing Harper to bat.
“I was trying to hit something hard to get Dejah (Mulipola) up to bat,” said Harper of her home run. “I was definitely nervous. It made it enough; I thought it was hitting the wall and bouncing off, so I was running hard. Not like a home run trot.”
Wildcats ace Taylor McQuillin, who is 15-1 with an 0.77 ERA, pitched another gem, giving up only three hits. She outdueled Utes pitcher Katie Donovan, who entered Friday’s game with a 9-1 record and 1.80 ERA.
McQuillin called the win “super-exciting.”
“Coming into Pac-12 (play), the mentality is the same: to get outs and have our team win,” she said.
The Utes got on the board first with a run in the top of the third inning. After McQuillin struck out a batter, she walked Julia Noskin, allowed an Alyssa Barrera single, and hit BreOnna Castaneda to load the bases. The Utes’ Heather Bowen hit a fly to right field to bring in Noskin.
The Wildcats didn’t waste time tying it up in the bottom of the third. Palomino hit her fifth double of the season into left field. Carranco hit a rocket off the pitcher’s leg that ricocheted to Abby Robertson at short, who threw to first in a bang-bang out, while Palomino touched home plate.
Donovan was knocked out of the game in the sixth inning after Hilary Edior beat out a bunt to put Wildcats at first and second with no outs. UA loaded the bases but did not score.
The Utes and Wildcats play again Saturday night at Hillenbrand Stadium.
