Slugger Carlie Scupin returned to the lineup after a multiweek injury absence, but the result was the same for the scuffling Arizona softball team:
Another loss in Pac-12 play.
The UA fell to Oregon State 9-4 Friday night at Hillenbrand Stadium. It was the Wildcats' 14th consecutive defeat in conference play and further weakened their case to make the NCAA Tournament.
Arizona fell to 25-22, 3-16 in the Pac-12, with five regular-season games left before the conference tournament in Tucson. Oregon State improved to 13-25-1, 4-14-1. The Beavers won on the road for just the second time in 14 tries.
Scupin hadn't played since March 15, when she got hit by a pitch and suffered a broken forearm against New Mexico State. The first baseman walked twice and scored a run in three plate appearances.
Arizona outfielder Jasmine Perezchica (21) dives to snare a liner into the left-center gap by Oregon State's Madyson Clark (77) and keep a runner at first in the top of the seventh inning of their Pac-12 softball game at Hillenbrand Stadium on April 28, 2023.
Arizona fell behind 5-0 through three innings, with all five runs charged to starter Devyn Netz. The Wildcats trimmed their deficit to 5-3 on Paige Dimler's three-run homer in the fourth.
The teams exchanged runs in the fifth, making it 6-4. The Beavers pulled away with three runs in the top of the seventh.
Freshmen Dakota Kennedy and Olivia DiNardo each had two hits for the Wildcats.
Game 2 of the series is slated for 6 p.m. Saturday.
Arizona softball coach Caitlin Lowe reflects on the death of former Wildcat player Stacy Redondo-Santa Cruz (video by Devin Homer / Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
Photos: University of Arizona falls 9-4 to Oregon State, Pac 12 softball
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, Pac 12 softball
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Arizona's starter Devyn Netz (34), left, heads back to the rubber with catcher Izzy Pacho (15) after giving up a solo shot to Oregon State's Kaiea Higa (7) in the second inning of their Pac-12 softball game at Hillenbrand Stadium on April 28, 2023. The Wildcats never held a lead in the game, losing their 14th straight Pac-12 game 9-4 to the Beavers.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, Pac 12 softball
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Arizona outfielder Jasmine Perezchica (21) dives to snare a liner into the left-center gap by Oregon State's Madyson Clark (77) and keep a runner at first in the top of the seventh inning of their Pac-12 softball game at Hillenbrand Stadium on April 28, 2023.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, Pac 12 softball
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Arizona's third baseman Blaise Biringer (30) runs down slow roller to retire Oregon State's Abby Doerr (4) in the first inning of their Pac 12 softball game at Hillenbrand Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., April 28, 2023.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, Pac 12 softball
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Arizona pitcher Ali Blanchard (17), left, watches Brianna Hardy (11) and Aissa Silva (3) get into the spirit of the game against Oregon State at Hillenbrand Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., April 28, 2023.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, Pac 12 softball
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Oregon State's left fielder Erin Mendoza (3) spears a slicing liner by Arizona's Paige Dimler (22) to keep two Wildcats on base in the second inning of their Pac 12 softball game at Hillenbrand Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., April 28, 2023.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, Pac 12 softball
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Oregon State's Abby Doerr (4) trots home on her two-RBI homer in the third inning of their Pac 12 softball game against Arizona at Hillenbrand Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., April 28, 2023.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, Pac 12 softball
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Arizona shortstop Tayler Biehl ranges into the hole to grab a grounder by Oregon State batter Morgan Howey in the third inning of their Pac-12 softball game at Hillenbrand Stadium on April 28, 2023.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, Pac 12 softball
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Arizona outfielder Dakota Kennedy drops a bunt for the Wildcatsโ first hit of the night against Oregon State in the third inning of their Pac-12 softball game at Hillenbrand Stadium on April 28, 2023.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, Pac 12 softball
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Arizona's Paige Dimler (22) gestures to her teammates waiting for her at the plate after slamming a three-RBI homer to get within two runs of Oregon State in the fourth inning of their Pac 12 softball game at Hillenbrand Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., April 28, 2023.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, Pac 12 softball
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Arizona's third baseman Blaise Biringer (30) ranges into foul ground to throw out Oregon State batter Morgan Howey (11) on pop-up in the fifth inning of their Pac 12 softball game at Hillenbrand Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., April 28, 2023.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, Pac 12 softball
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Oregon State's second baseman Madyson Clark (77), left, and right fielder Eliana Gottlieb (12) get tangled up trying to catch Arizona's Olivia DiNardo (26) bloop RBI in the fifth inning of their Pac 12 softball game at Hillenbrand Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., April 28, 2023. DiNardo ended up on second on the hit.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, Pac 12 softball
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Arizona's left fielder Dakota Kennedy (4) just misses coming up with the catch in front of shortstop Tayler Biehl (2) on a looper by Oregon State's Kaiea Higa (7) into no-manโs land that drove home the Beavers final run of the game in the seventh inning of their Pac 12 softball game at Hillenbrand Stadium, Tucson, Ariz., April 28, 2023.
