NCAA Softball Tournament results: Arizona routs South Carolina 9-0 to advance to Super Regionals

The Wildcats will host Baylor next weekend

The Arizona Wildcats are headed to Super Regionals.

Propelled by a shutout from Taylor McQuillin and four RBIs by Mandie Perez, the Wildcats routed South Carolina 9-0 on Sunday to win the Tucson Regional.

McQuillin (16-3) held the Gamecocks, the designated home team, to seven hits and tallied six strikeouts while walking one.

Perez launched a two-run homer to right in the third inning to break a scoreless tie and later hit a two-run single to put Arizona up 6-0 in the top of the sixth.

The UA left fielder was 2 for 5 and her two-run blast accounted for the Wildcats’ only runs until the sixth inning when Arizona broke the game open with a four-run frame.

Arizona’s 7-8-9 hitters sparked the offense, hitting 8 for 9 with three RBIs, a walk, two stolen bases, and three runs scored.

Second baseman Reyna Carranco was 3 for 3 with two RBIs, plus made a spectacular diving play in the fifth to prevent a lead-off single.

The freshman lined an RBI single to center to extend UA’s lead to 3-0 in the sixth, then drove in another run in the seventh.

Ashleigh Hughes was 3 for 4 with an RBI and Eva Watson was 2 for 2 with two runs scored.

Arizona outhit South Carolina, 15-7.

Leading 6-0, the Wildcats tacked on three runs in the top of the seventh.

Along with Carranco’s RBI single, Dejah Mulipola hit an RBI single off the right field wall and Nancy Bowling hit a sacrifice fly in a pinch-hit appearance.

South Carolina had a few promising scoring chances in the early innings, but McQuillin was able to escape several jams.

A pair of singles put runners on the corners for the Gamecocks in the first inning, but McQuillin got a three-pitch strikeout to end the threat.

South Carolina put two runners on in the third inning, but McQuillin induced a popout to escape the jam.

The Gamecocks threatened once again in the fourth with two singles, but Kamryn Watts grounded out to end the frame.

Two Gamecocks reached in the bottom of the seventh, but McQuillin was able to preserve her sixth shutout of the season.

South Carolina hit 2 for 12 with runners on base.

Arizona (51-7) will host No. 15 overall seed Baylor (45-12) in Super Regionals next weekend at Hillenbrand Stadium. The Wildcats beat the Bears 4-0 in Tucson on Feb. 11.

Baylor starter Gia Rodoni tossed consecutive no-hitters in the Waco Regional.

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