Arizona softball takes down No. 8 ASU to even series

It’s the Wildcats’ first Pac-12 road win

Alyssa Denham tossed seven strong innings and Reyna Carranco and Carli Campbell each knocked in two runs as No. 13 Arizona topped No. 8 ASU 4-1 on Saturday in Tempe to even the series.

The Wildcats improve to 30-13 overall and 7-10 in the Pac-12. They had lost seven straight conference games prior to the victory and were winless on the road against Pac-12 foes.

Denham allowed just one run on two hits in a complete-game effort. She struck out two and walked four, inducing 11 groundouts.

The game was scoreless until the top of the fourth when UA left-fielder Carli Campbell drove home Aleah Craighton with a single to the right side.

Put the ball in play and good things happen. #BearDown pic.twitter.com/W8lajMWQ4i

— Arizona Softball (@ArizonaSoftball) April 21, 2018

Campbell and Ivy Davis later scored when Carranco laced an RBI double down the right-field line to make it a 3-0 game.

.@reynaaa_c's double to drive home two runs for @ArizonaSoftball is the @OpusBank #12Bets moment. pic.twitter.com/3Www1MKDlQ

— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) April 21, 2018

ASU got a run back in the bottom of the fourth with a solo homer by Morgan Howe, but the Wildcats would immediately respond with another run when Craighton scored on an error by ASU second baseman Marisa Stankiewicz.

The bottom of Arizona’s order was productive, as its 7-8-9 hitters had three hits, three walks, two RBI, and four runs scored.

Arizona had eight hits in total, and could have blown the game open a couple times, but hit just 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

Carranco not only had two hits and two RBI, but also made a few run-saving plays at second base. This one in the fifth inning helped strand two runners:

Reyn-ge!!@reynaaa_c saves two runs with her third nice play of the day.

After 5:
4
1 pic.twitter.com/bqQWFOy7z6

— Arizona Softball (@ArizonaSoftball) April 21, 2018

Then there was this sweet diving play in the first:

Reyna! pic.twitter.com/laLVp0V4hh

— Arizona Softball (@ArizonaSoftball) April 21, 2018

For Denham, it was her second straight dominant outing. The sophomore right-hander threw a two-hit shutout Wednesday against New Mexico State. She’s now 7-3 with a 2.07 ERA.

Arizona will try to win the rivalry series vs. ASU on Sunday at 5 p.m. PT on the Pac-12 Networks.

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Follow Ryan Kelapire on Twitter at @RKelapire

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