A night removed from a close win over in-state rival Arizona State, the Arizona Wildcats were looking to wrap up the series early on Saturday night. The Wildcats’ attempt at an early series victory was halted as the team fell to their rivals losing 5-2.
Catcher Dejah Mulipola was on the wrong side of a fastball that squared her up right in the face in the first inning and she immediately fell to the ground before being helped up the training staff. Hillary Edior took over the duties behind the plate. McQuillin commented on her backup catcher’s ability to quickly come into the game without skipping a beat.
“She’s [Edior] a great catcher and steps up to the plate every time she gets the opportunity, which I think shows how hard she works on and off the field,” McQuillin said. “I think she came in and we meshed right away, she did a good filling in behind the plate today.”
Still in the games infant stages McQuillin was tattooed on a pitch that got away from her, the Sun Devil’s Ulfua Leilua made the most of it crashing a ball deep to center field giving ASU a 1-0 lead in the second inning.
McQuillin appeared to settle down but then with runners on first and second, Nichole Chilson hit a deep ball to the warning track that proved too difficult for Ashleigh Hughes to handle. The result was two runners scoring and then Chilson herself made it home after a throwing error by Hughes, giving the Sun Devil’s a 4-0 lead.
After Danielle O’Toole’s stellar performance, there was a hope that the trustworthy sophomore Taylor McQuillin would be able to get the job done. She would go the distance in Saturday nights game, striking out 11 Sun Devil batters, however, she gave up six hits and five runs in the loss.
“She threw the ball good at times and in games like this the mistake usually cost you the game,” Arizona head coach Mike Candrea said. “The mistake in right field changed the complication of the game but otherwise Taylor did what she could.”
The game appeared to be iced in the top of the sixth when another Sun Devil teed off on McQuillin making it 5-0. For Marisa Stankiewicz it was only her fifth home run of the season and for McQuillin it was another home run given up, her fourth in her last two outings.
The team earned a hard fought win Friday night thanks in part to the big time hitting of Jessie Harper, the freshman went 3-3 and racked up three RBIs. But it was a different story on Saturday as Harper failed to reach base at all any point in the game going 0-3.
Arizona State countered with a freshman of their own, pitcher Giselle Juarez, who was no stranger to Wildcat batters throwing at them routinely and for the most part with great success. She threw a complete game and overwhelmed Arizona, striking out seven batters.
“None of us have ever seen her before she’s new and for us we need to make adjustments a little quicker,” said Ashleigh Hughes. “It usually takes one time through the lineup and then you have a feel for what your looking for, but obviously we were a little late today on that.”
Katiyana Mauga delivered a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth for Arizona’s only runs of the night.
The series’ deciding game takes place at 5 p.m. at Hillenbrand Stadium.
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