TUCSON, Ariz. -- On senior day and the final regular season home game in the history of Hillenbrand Stadium before renovations occur this summer, 10th-ranked Arizona softball defeated Grand Canyon 8-0 in five innings to complete the sweep of the Antelopes.
Taylor McQuillin (24-9) threw what was the third shutout, her second, of the series. It marked the first time Arizona had not allowed a run in an entire weekend since NCAA Regionals in 2017. McQuillin allowed just three hits in the complete-game effort while striking out seven and walking just one. McQuillin's 12 shutouts are the most by a Wildcat since Kenzie Fowler's 15 in 2010.
Arizona's offense took advantage of a season-high nine walks issued by a pair of Grand Canyon pitchers.The Cats (38-13) scored eight runs on seven hits in the game.
Dejah Mulipola led the way; she went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI.
Reyna Carranco went 2-for--3 and scored three runs for UA.
On senior day,
Aleah Craighton went 1-for-2 with two RBI.
Robyn Porter received her seventh career start and notched her fifth career hit, a fifth-inning single.
Ashleigh Hughes made her first appearance since breaking her hand vs. Arizona State on April 22, pinch running in the bottom of the fourth inning.
With the win, the Wildcats, who have now won nine straight games, completed their regular season with a record of 25-4 at Hillenbrand Stadium. UA hopes to host NCAA Regionals at Hillenbrand in two weeks. But first, UA will wrap up the regular season at Stanford. The Cats and Cardinal meet for three games in Palo Alto, Thursday-Saturday, on the Pac-12 Network.
Arizona plated three runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Reyna Carranco singled and
Jessie Harper walked to put two on for
Aleah Craighton, who singled in a run to get the scoring going on her senior day. Another walk loaded the bases for
Joelle Krist, who singled home two to give the Cats a 3-0 lead after one inning.
In the second, Grand Canyon (27-26) used two infield singles and a passed ball to put runners at second and third with nobody out. McQuillin struck out the next two and induced a pop fly to get out of the inning with a zero on the scoreboard.
Four walks plated a run in the bottom of the second inning.
In the fourth,
Dejah Mulipola hit a two-run home run, her 12th of the season, matching her total from her freshman year, to put the Cats up 6-0.
Robyn Porter kicked off the bottom of the fifth with a single to left field and
Tamara Statman followed with a pinch-hit walk. A fielder's choice loaded the bases for Mulipola, who singled in two runs to end the game.
Up next: Arizona concludes the regular season at Stanford next weekend. The Cats and the Cardinal face off Thursday-Saturday on the Pac-12 Networks.
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