TUCSON, Ariz. – Arizona opened the Hillenbrand Invitational with a 6-3 win over Drake on Thursday night.
 
The Wildcats scored six runs on eight hits, with Olivia DiNardo and Carlie Scupin each recording two hits including one home run each.
 
Freshman Brooke Mannon (3-0) earned her third win of the season after pitching 6.0 innings and striking out a career-high six Bulldogs. Mannon threw six scoreless innings until Drake scored in the seventh. Aissa Silva entered in relief in the seventh inning and struck out two of the four batters she faced.
 
It was a pitchers' duel through four innings until Arizona scored four runs in the fifth inning to break the tie. With two runners on, Scupin hit her fifth home run of the season – a three-run shot to right center. In the next at-bat, DiNardo hit a solo homer – her fourth of the season – to give Arizona the 4-0 lead.
 
In the top of the sixth, Mannon retired the side and Arizona scored two more runs on a throwing error and a sacrifice fly from Dakota Kennedy for the 6-0 lead.
 
Drake scored three runs in the seventh inning on an RBI single, a throwing error, and an RBI double. Silva struck out the final two batters to secure the win for the Wildcats.
 
Up Next
The Wildcats will face Indiana and Marshall on Friday, Feb. 23 at 4 and 6 p.m. MST.