Arizona softball handles Ole Miss in first game of Tucson Super Regional

The Wildcats are one win away from the Women’s College World Series

Malia Martinez drove in three runs and Alyssa Palomino-Cardoza knocked in two as Arizona softball peppered 12 hits in a 5-2 win over 11th-seeded Ole Miss in the first game of the Tucson Super Regional on Friday afternoon at Hillenbrand Stadium.

The sixth-seeded Wildcats (46-12) are now just one win away from ending their eight-year Women’s College World Series drought. Game 2 is Saturday at 5 p.m. PT, with a third game (if necessary) set for Sunday.

After the teams traded runs early, Arizona grabbed a 3-2 lead in the fourth when Palomino-Cardoza lofted a sacrifice fly to right. Martinez made it 4-2 by lacing an RBI single up the middle.

Martinez went 4 for 4 with a pair of doubles. She roped an RBI double down the left-field line in the first inning to tie the game after Ole Miss scored on an error to plate the game’s first run.

Palomino-Cardoza tied the game at 2-all in the second with a liner to left. Her RBIs were set up by a productive bottom of the order. The 7-8-9 trio of Hanah Bowen, Peanut Martinez and Carli Campbell combined for five hits and three runs.

Peanut dropped an RBI single into right-center to to make it 5-2 through five.

Arizona ace Taylor McQuillin struggled early, surrendering a run in each of the first two frames, but was spotless from there.

The senior lefthander worked a 1-2-3 inning in the fourth, the first time all game the bases weren’t packed with Rebels. She walked the leadoff batter in the fifth, but then induced three straight groundouts to end the inning before recording a perfect sixth.

McQuillin allowed five hits while walking four and striking out nine in a complete-game effort.

The Rebels left the bases loaded in the first and third innings. Arizona stranded at least one runner in scoring position in each of the first three innings.

Kylan Becker scored the game’s first run when Jessie Harper bobbled a slow bouncing grounder off the bat of Kaylee Horton.

Becker scored again in the second when Abbey Latham put Ole Miss up 2-1 in the second when she matched Martinez’s line-hugging double with one of her own.

Unlike most teams this season, the Rebels were willing to test UA catcher Dejah Mulipola, stealing four bases.

Ole Miss ace Molly Jacobsen was originally scheduled to start but the Rebels made a change right before first pitch.

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