The Arizona softball team opened up the Women’s College World Series Thursday night against No. 7 Oklahoma State with Hanah Bowen on the mound.
It was a pitcher’s duel early with Cowgirls starter Kelley Maxwell as the two teams were scoreless through three innings.
Oklahoma State struck first with a double and single hit in the fourth inning to give Oklahoma State the 1-0 lead.
Arizona struck right back the next half inning with a 2-run home run hit by Sharlize Palacios.
After stranding two base runners in a scoreless fifth inning, Bowen looked to maintain the 2-1 lead the next frame. She got into some trouble as a walk, single and error put two runners in scoring position with nobody out for the Cowgirls. With the count even, Karli Petty took advantage of a pitch left up and crushed it to dead center field to give Oklahoma State the 4-2 lead.
That was all for Bowen as she pitched five innings, allowing 4 runs on five hits to go along with two strikeouts and four walks. Devyn Netz came in and got Arizona out of the inning.
With the Wildcats trailing by 2 runs with three outs to go, Jasmine Perezchica opened the frame with a single. The next three Arizona hitters struck out to end the game, which was the story of the game for the Wildcats striking out 14 times overall against Maxwell who pitched the complete game.
Arizona will face Oregon State Friday night in an elimination game with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. MST on ESPN2.
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