The No. 3-ranked UCLA softball team rallied from an early three-run deficit to top No. 6 Arizona 5-4 on Friday night in Los Angeles and clinch at least a tie of the Pac-12 championship with Washington.
Arizona, which won the first game of the series in thrilling fashion, now trails UCLA by two games in the conference standings with one game to play. The Bruins can clinch the Pac-12 title on Friday with a win over Arizona or a Washington loss to Stanford.
Jessie Harper hit a solo homer in the first — her Pac-12 best 25th of the season — and Dejah Mulipola added a two-run shot in the third as UA (41-12, 18-5 Pac-12) built a 3-0 lead. UCLA (46-4, 20-3) rallied with two runs in the third and three in the fourth.
Mulipola was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the seventh to force in a run and cut the Bruins’ lead to 5-4. Rylee Pierce grounded out to second to end the game.
Alyssa Denham (11-5) took the loss, allowing five runs on six hits in 3.2 innings. Hanah Bowen, who started at second base Thursday in place of the injured Reyna Carranco, pitched 2.1 innings of scoreless relief while allowing two hits and striking out one.
The teams finish their three-game series at noon Saturday. The game, which will wrap up the regular season, airs on Pac-12 Arizona.
