CORVALLIS, Ore. -- In its first extra-inning game of the season, fifth-ranked Arizona defeated Oregon State 7-4 in eight innings in the final game of the series with the Beavers and earn a coveted Pac-12 road sweep to kick off conference play.
 
The Wildcats were an out away from winning the game in regulation, leading the Beavers 4-1 in the bottom of the seventh with two out and nobody on base. Oregon State, which had had just two hits all game to that point, used a single and a walk to bring the tying run to the plate. Natalie Hampton homered to center field, her third of the year, on a ball that was nearly robbed by Alyssa Palomino, going in and out of her fully extended glove beyond the fence.
 
Three batters later, after a walk and a single put the winning run in scoring position, the game appeared to go from sure victory to sure defeat as Kayleen Shafer rocketed a deep fly ball to right center field between Ashleigh Hughes and Palomino. The two, in a dead sprint, collided, with Hughes making a spectacular running catch to save the game and send it to extra innings.
 
UA scored three runs in the top of the eighth to win the game.
 
Jessie Harper went 3-for-3 with two home runs and a double to lead the Wildcat offense. In her last 11 games, Harper is 18-for-34 (.529) with five doubles, five homers and a 1.177 slugging percentage. Harper, last week's Pac-12 Freshman of the Week, is tied for the Pac-12 lead with 10 homers on the year.
 
Danielle O'Toole and Taylor McQuillin teamed up to get the victory, with O'Toole taking a no-hitter into the fifth inning and McQuillin finishing the job.
 
O'Toole, who went 4.1 innings, allowed one run on two hits with a career-high 10 strikeouts, her first of which was No. 100 on the year. McQuillin pitched the final 3.2 innings and surrendered three runs on three hits with six strikeouts. McQuillin improved to 9-0 on the season.
 
Arizona improves to 29-1 on the season and is 3-0 to start Pac-12 play for the first time since 2011. The Wildcats have won 14 straight games, including a perfect 11-0 roadtrip. 
 
Now the Wildcats return home for a three-game series with No. 6 Washington Friday-Sunday at Hillenbrand Stadium.
 
Harper started off the scoring in the fourth inning, launching a one-out solo homer to deep left field.
 
The Cats added to their lead in the top of the fifth. Hughes and Mandie Perez recorded one out singles and moved to third and second, respectively, on a wild pitch. Hillary Edior brought one run home on a fielder's choice before Palomino scored another with a sacrifice fly.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, OSU broke up O'Toole's no-hit bid with a walk and a bunt single to put two on for Shelby Weeks. Weeks singled up the middle to end the shutout and chase O'Toole. McQuillin entered with the tying runs in scoring position and just one out before striking out the next two Beavers to keep the Cats on top by two.
 
Harper hit the first pitch of the sixth inning to deep center for her second homer of the game.
 
The 4-1 Wildcat lead would stand until Hampton's three-run homer to tie the game in the seventh.
 
In the top of the eighth, Harper drew a four-pitch walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. An Oregon State error put runners on the corners before Hughes, after making an incredible catch to save the game in the bottom of the seventh, hit a ground ball to short to score Harper and give the Cats the lead. Perez followed with her fourth home run in the last six games to put Arizona back on top by three.
 
McQuillin retired the side in order in the bottom of the eighth to end the game. 
 
Up Next: Arizona and Washington meet in a three-game series at Hillenbrand Stadium Friday-Sunday in the Wildcats' Pac-12 home opening series. The top-10 matchup will be televised by the Pac-12 Networks.
 
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