Arizona softball won both games of a Saturday doubleheader to earn a road sweep over Oregon State. The No. 18 Wildcats defeated the Beavers 7-2 in the first game on Saturday and 22-3 in game two, after defeating OSU 9-3 on Friday.
With the three victories, Arizona moved to 31-9 overall and 6-3 in Pac-12 Conference play.
A rain storm pushed back the second game of the series from Friday afternoon to Saturday morning, but Arizona had no trouble adjusting to the new start time.
After Oregon State took the lead on a second inning solo home run, the Wildcats responded in the third when UA shortstop Kellie Fox drove an RBI single up the middle to tie the game.
Two batters later, Chelsea Goodacre hit a three-run homer to right field, putting Arizona up 4-1. It was Goodacre’s 14th home run of the season.
The UA loaded the bases in the fourth inning off an Oregon State error, a walk to Fox and a single from Goodacre. Arizona utility player Mandie Perez delivered a two-run, two-out single that pushed the lead to 6-1.
The Beavers cut into the deficit with another solo shot in the sixth inning off Wildcats pitcher Michelle Floyd.
The two homers were the only damage Floyd allowed in a complete game performance. The sophomore gave up five hits, struck out five and walked four.
Arizona added an insurance run in the seventh inning when Perez scored on a passed ball.
Oregon State pitcher Beverly Miller (15-9) allowed all seven runs, four of them earned, over seven innings of work. Miller took a line-drive to the face two days earlier, left the game and later received 10 stitches.
Arizona’s offense exploded for 22 runs over five innings in the second game of the day, setting a school record for most runs scored on the road. The UA hit five home runs, including a pair of grand slams.
Arizona got things started early when Fox hit a first-inning, two-run shot to center field.
The Wildcats then loaded the bases off a walk, single and hit batsman. Oregon State pitcher Taylor Cotton lacked control on the mound, as she gave up four-consecutive free-passes, all resulting in runs.
Goodacre hit a solo homer an inning later to make it 7-0.
The Beavers put two runs on the board in the bottom of the frame to make it 7-2, after the Wildcats were held scoreless in the top half of the third.
Arizona’s Trish Parks allowed three runs on five hits over five innings. Parks earned her 11th victory of the season.
The UA broke things open in the fourth and fifth innings when the Wildcats busted out for eight and seven runs, respectively.
Arizona relied on four walks and three hits to catapult its fourth inning rally. Katiyana Mauga’s grand slam to left commenced the scoring.
The Wildcats put together a similar rally in the fifth, highlighted by a grand slam from Goodacre.
The offensive output equaled the most runs the Wildcats had scored in a conference game since defeating Stanford 25-0 in 1995.
Arizona now returns home to Hillenbrand Stadium, where it will host Washington for a three-game series beginning Friday.
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