The colorful blinking lights of Spring Fling served as the perfect backdrop for the start of the biggest series of the year for the No. 12 Arizona softball team.
As expected, Arizona and No. 4 UCLA played a tight game until the Bruins busted out in the seventh inning for a 7-6 win at Hillenbrand stadium that dropped the Wildcats to 27-8 overall and 6-7 in Pac-12 play.
The Wildcats, who were swept at No. 5 Oregon last weekend, were looking to start a new winning streak. The visiting Bruins have won the last six series between these storied programs.
UA was also looking to find a way to stop the Bruins' bats, which were leading the country with a .362 team batting average.
With the game knotted at four, Kylee Perez’s RBI double to the center field wall gave UCLA the edge. The Bruins improved to 35-3 overall and 10-3 in Pac-12 play.
Friday’s loss was the Wildcats’ first at home since a March 14 game against Minnesota.
Before the late rally, all of UCLA’s runs came on big blasts. Rachel Garcia hit two homers, a solo shot in the second inning and a two-run shot in sixth to tie the game at four. Madeline Jelenicki’s solo home run came in the fourth.
In the seventh, Wildcats ace Taylor McQuillin gave up five of UCLA’s nine hits. She struck out eight and walked six while watching her ERA jump to 1.65. She also had a season high in pitches with 152. McQuillin is now 18-7 on the year.
After striking out the first batter in the seventh, McQuillin gave up a single to Briana Perez, a double to Kylee Perez and three singles and two walks which resulted in three runs.
McQuillin gave up two hits and two runs prior to the fifth inning.
The Wildcats clawed back in their half of the seventh as Alyssa Palomino hit a two-run homer to left to pull within one run. It was Palomino’s 12th home run of the season, tying her with Jessie Harper for the Pac-12 lead. Palomino now has 25 RBIs.
Harper (2 for 4) and Malia Martinez (1 for 3) slugged back-to-back doubles to center in the fifth inning to take a 4-2 lead.
The Wildcats scored two runs in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Aleah Craighton and a wild pitch.
UA knocked winning pitcher Selina Ta’amilo out of the circle after just seven batters.
A sharp comebacker hit by Dejah Mulipola tagged Ta’amilo in the wrist and after trainers attended to her, she was replace by Garcia. Ta’amilo returned to the mound in the sixth inning.
