NORTHRIDGE, Calif. -- Fifth-ranked Arizona softball outscored its opponents 26-0 while allowing two total base runners over a doubleheader sweep on Saturday at Matador Diamond at the CSUN/LMU Tournament.
Michelle Floyd threw the ninth perfect game in Arizona history in an 18-0 five-inning victory over Hartford before
Nancy Bowling tossed a two-hit shutout vs. Cal State Bakersfield in an 8-0, six-inning UA victory.
The Wildcats improved to 22-1 on the season with the two victories.
UA has outscored its 23 opponents 197-22. The Wildcats hit five home runs on Saturday, giving them 32 for the season, 10 more than the Wildcats' opponents have total runs.
Game 1: #5 Arizona 18, Hartford 0 (5 innings)
Fifteen up. Fifteen down.
It was as easy as that for
Michelle Floyd, who threw the ninth perfect game in Arizona history, and first since April 24, 2010 (Kenzie Fowler vs. Oregon State).
Floyd, in her first start of 2017, struck out six Hartford batters and let her defense do the rest. The senior has not allowed an earned run in 12 innings this season.
Jessie Harper remained red hot at the plate, going 4-for-4 with four extra base hits and five RBI. Harper hit two home runs in Arizona's 13-run first inning, giving her three homers over the last two games. Harper is now 8-for-12 (.667) at the CSUN/LMU Tournament with 10 RBI in three games and is slugging 1.750.
Arizona hit four home runs in the bottom of the first inning, two by Harper and one each from
Mo Mercado and
Ashleigh Hughes. It was Hughes' first home run of 2017.
The Wildcats plated their 18 runs on 15 hits. Eleven different Wildcats had hits in the game.
Harper (5), Hughes (3), Mercado (3),
Katiyana Mauga (2),
Jaycee Lindley (2),
Hillary Edior (1) and
Alyssa Palomino (1) all drove in runs for Arizona.
UA got the scoring going with 13 runs in the bottom of the first inning, sending 18 batters to plate, both single-inning highs for UA this year.
The Cats added four runs in the third and one run in the fourth.
Game 2: #5 Arizona 8, Cal State Bakersfield 0 (6 innings)
Nancy Bowling followed Floyd's perfect game with 4.1 perfect innings of her own before Cal State Bakersfield broke up UA's bid for a perfect day. Bowling faced one over the minimum in UA's 8-0, six-inning victory over the Roadrunners.
Bowling allowed two hits in her first shutout of the season. The senior struck out four and did not walk a batter. Bowling improved to 5-0 on the season.
Dejah Mulipola went 3-for-4 with a two-run homer to lead the UA offense, which scored eight runs on nine hits.
Mandie Perez batted in a pair of runs as well for the Wildcats.
The Wildcats plated two runs in the first inning. The Cats scored on a passed ball and an
Alyssa Palomino single to take the early lead.
In the second, a Perez sac fly, Mulipola's two-run homer and a Katiyana Mauga RBI single made it 6-0 Wildcats in the second.
UA added single runs in the third and sixth to mercy the Roadrunners.
Up Next: Arizona heads to Los Angeles for the final day of the CSUN/LMU Tournament, taking on LMU and Bryant on Sunday in a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m. MST.
Follow Arizona Softball: For further coverage of Arizona softball, visit ArizonaWildcats.com and follow the team's Twitter and Instagram accounts (@UA_Softball).
