NCAA Softball Tournament results: Arizona Wildcats beat Baylor Bears 3-2 in Game 1 of Super Regionals

Jessie Harper hit a walk-off single to propel the Wildcats to victory

Jessie Harper’s first career postseason hit couldn’t have come at a better time.

Marred in an 0 for 13 slump, the freshman lined a walk-off single into center field, propelling the Arizona Wildcats to a 3-2 win over the Baylor Bears in Game 1 of Super Regionals on Friday night at Hillenbrand Stadium.

The victory puts Arizona one win away from reaching the Women’s College World Series for the first time since 2010.

“I was just trying to get the ball in the air as far as it could go,” said Harper, who stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and nobody out.

Arizona held a 2-0 lead heading into the sixth, but Baylor second baseman Ari Hawkins lifted a two-run homer to left off Danielle O’Toole to tie the game, stunning the pro-Arizona crowd.

However, O’Toole (30-4) rebounded from there, retiring the next six batters she faced to complete the shutout. The senior left-hander allowed six hits and struck out four, while inducing 12 groundouts.

Seniors Mo Mercado and Katiyana Mauga each had three hits for Arizona.

Mercado doubled in Mauga in the first inning to give Arizona an early 1-0 lead, then Mauga hit a solo homer to right in the third to make it 2-0.

In the seventh, Mercado singled and Mauga walked to set up Harper’s walk-off.

The Wildcats outhit the Bears 12-6, but were just 4 for 15 with runners in scoring position.

Arizona stranded at least one runner in scoring position in the first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth innings.

The Wildcats left the bases loaded in the fourth.

After a 14-pitch walk to Dejah Mulipola and a pair of singles by Reyna Carranco and Ashleigh Hughes, Gia Rodoni struck out Hillary Edior, who pinch hit for Eva Watson, and Mandie Perez to escape the jam.

Rodoni (17-3) was tagged with the loss, but tossed 3.2 scoreless innings heading into the seventh.

She relieved starter Kelsee Selman who surrendered two runs on five hits and was removed after Mauga’s solo homer.

Game 2 of the series is set for Saturday at 6 p.m., and it will be broadcast on ESPN. Taylor McQuillin (16-3, 1.72 ERA) will likely start for the Wildcats. Selman will start once again for the Bears.

*story will be updated with quotes

Notes

• Bears left fielder Kyla Walker’s first-inning infield single was her 82nd hit in 2017, setting a new Baylor single-season record. She later tripled and scored on Hawkins’ homer.
• Mauga’s third-inning homer was the 92nd of her career, putting her three shy of tying the NCAA’s all-time record (held by former Oklahoma Sooner Lauren Chamberlain)

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You can follow Ryan Kelapire on Twitter at @RKelapire

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