Saturday, February 11
Tucson, AZ
6 p.m. CT/5 p.m. MT
Northwestern
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Arizona
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Northwestern
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Arizona
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Northwestern Falls at No. 10 Arizona
2/11/2017 7:54:00 PM | Softball
TUCSON, Ariz. -- No. 10 Arizona jumped out to a fast lead over Northwestern Saturday night at the host Wildcats' own Hillenbrand Invitational, and although the #B1GCats smoked a pair of home runs in the game, they were unable to put much of a dent into the deficit during an 11-3 (5) defeat.
Northwestern falls to 1-2 on the young season following its second-straight loss to a ranked opponent. Arizona is 4-0 on the year with its win. The Pac-12 Wildcats are now 106-3 all-time in this tournament, having not lost since 2009.
Northwestern returns to action immediately against Fordham at the Hillenbrand Invitational.
Arizona got on the board quickly against Northwestern senior Nicole Bond when the NCAA's active home run leader Katiyana Mauga hit the 70th of her career with two runners on base, part of a four-run inning. First-year Morgan Newport took over midway through the frame.
In the bottom of the second, a couple of singles and a wild pitch put a runner on third for Arizona. That runner came home on a sacrifice fly before a series of walks and a two-out error gave the hosts a three-run rally and a 7-0 lead.
Senior Alcy Bush got Northwestern on the board with a big solo home run in the top of the third. Bush's homer was her first of the season and the fourth of her career. It was her third-career blast against a top-10 opponent after she homered twice last season at No. 2 Michigan.
The rally kept going immediately with a Krista Williams walk, a Sabrina Rabin grounder that resulted in an error and a Marissa Panko single to load the bases with no outs. Arizona lifted starter Taylor Mcquillin for Nancy Bowling. With one out, Kenzie Ellis hit a ball over the wall in left field, but it was foul by maybe a foot to JUST miss a grand slam. Bowling took advantage of the dodged bullet to strand all three #B1GCats on base and keep Arizona in front, 7-1.
Newport held the home Wildcats in check in the bottom of the third, but they got two more in the fourth to push the game into run-rule territory, 9-1.
In the top of the fifth, NU had an answer. With one out, Panko rolled a double to the wall in right center before Morgan Nelson stepped in and SMASHED a two-run home run high into the left field bleachers to keep the game going, 9-3. The shot was Nelson's first of the year and the ninth of the sophomore's career.
In the bottom of the fifth, the first Arizona batter walked and sophomore Kaley Winegarner took over in the circle from Newport. The next batter also walked before a single loaded the bases with no outs. A double then ended the game early.
Bond (1-1) took the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits in one-third of an inning. Newport went 3.2 frames and gave up six runs (four earned) on seven hits and four walks with two strikeouts. Winegarner was charged with one run after allowing a walk and two hits in relief.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Bowling, Nancy (1-0)
L: Bond, Nicole (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Panko, Marissa 1 ; Marquez, Brooke 1
HR: Nelson, Morgan 1 ; Bush, Alcy 1
RBI: Nelson, Morgan 2 ; Bush, Alcy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Panko, Marissa 1 ; Nelson, Morgan 1 ; Bush, Alcy 1
Batting:
2B: Palomino, Alyssa 1 ; Mauga, Katiyana 1 ; Statman, Tamara 1
HR: Mauga, Katiyana 1
RBI: Mulipola, Dejah 1 ; Palomino, Alyssa 2 ; Mauga, Katiyana 3 ; Statman, Tamara 2 ; Harper, Jessie 1
SF: Mulipola, Dejah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Perez, Mandie 3 ; Mulipola, Dejah 1 ; Mauga, Katiyana 2 ; Lindley, Jaycee 1 ; Mercado, Mo 2 ; Hughes, Ashleigh 2
SB: Perez, Mandie 2
CS: Mulipola, Dejah 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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