BERKELEY, Calif. -- Fourth-ranked Arizona clinched the series over California with its second straight shutout of the Bears.
Taylor McQuillin tossed a complete-game two-hitter with seven strikeouts as the Cats downed Cal 6-0.
Arizona scored all six of its runs with two out, including a three-run homer from
Katiyana Mauga in the third inning to retake the conference lead in long balls from
Jessie Harper and
Alyssa Palomino, who each homered Friday. It was her 12th of the season and 79th of her career.
McQuillin improved to 12-0 with the win. In her last seven starts, after returning from early-season arm soreness, McQuillin has allowed one earned run (0.15 ERA) with 69 strikeouts in 48 innings pitched.
The Wildcats improved to 36-1 on the season and 8-0 in Pac-12 play. The 8-0 conference mark is Arizona's best Pac-12/10 start since 2004. A day after completing the first undefeated month of March in program history, Arizona won its 21st consecutive game, the second longest streak in the NCAA this year. Cal fell to 21-10 (3-5 Pac-12) with the loss.
The series victory marks the fourth straight season in which Arizona has defeated California. On Sunday, Arizona will go for its first sweep of the Golden Bears since the conference went to three-game series in 2010.
Mauga and
Jessie Harper led the way for the Arizona offense with two hits apiece.
Dejah Mulipola (RBI double in the fourth) and
Mandie Perez (two-run single in the fourth) drove in runs in addition to Mauga's homer.
After two hitless innings for the Arizona offense,
Ashleigh Hughes led off the third with a single. Zoe Conley retired the next two batters and got ahead of
Alyssa Palomino 0-2. Palomino eventually drew a walk to extend the inning for Mauga, who hit her Pac-12-leading 12th home run of the season to left.
Arizona added three more two-out runs in the fourth. With runners at second and third and two out,
Mandie Perez reached on an infield single, scoring both runs, with pinch-runner
Eva Watson racing all the way in from second on the infield single.
Dejah Mulipola followed with a double to plate Perez from first to put the Wildcats on top 6-0.
Up Next: Arizona will go for its third straight Pac-12 series sweep on Sunday at noon on the Pac-12 Networks.
Follow Arizona Softball: For further coverage of Arizona softball, visit ArizonaWildcats.com and follow the team's Twitter and Instagram accounts (@UA_Softball).
