Arizona Falls in Game 1
TEMPE, Ariz. -- No. 8 Arizona fell in game 1 of the four-game series in Tempe, 4-3 at No. 13 Arizona State.
The Wildcats had an abundance of chances, but could not overcome an early 3-0 hole they dug themselves in in the first three innings. Arizona was 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and had the bases loaded with one out in the seventh but could not score.
In the circle, Hanah Bowen was brilliant in 3.1 innings of relief, allowing just one run -- a solo homer -- on two hits and struck out five of the 13 Sun Devils she faced. She relieved Alyssa Denham, who surrendered three runs on three hits and walked three in 2.2 innings. Denham took the loss and fell to 13-5 on the season.
Offensively, the Cats drew seven walks and had five hits against a pair of ASU pitchers. Reyna Carranco went 2-for-4 and Sharlize Palacios hit a two-run homer for the Cats. Janelle Meoño extended her hitting streak to 18 games with a double in the first inning.
Arizona State struck first, opening the scoring with a Jazmine Hill home run in the bottom of the first and then doubling the lead with a Makenna Harper RBI double in the second.
In the third, the Sun Devils loaded the bases courtesy of two walks and a single and plated their third run of the game on an RBI walk that chased Alyssa Denham in favor of Hanah Bowen, who stranded the bases loaded with her first strikeout of the night.
In the top of the fourth, the Wildcats cut the lead to one on a Sharlize Palacios home run, a two-run shot to left.
The Sun Devils got one of the runs back in the bottom half on a solo home run by Bella Loomis.
In the top of the sixth, Arizona had the tying runs on with one out. Malia Martinez smoked a ball to deep left field. The ASU left fielder made an incredible running catch onto the warning track. It brought home one run on a sacrifice fly, but it limited the Wildcats to just a single run in the inning.
In the seventh, Carranco singled and Dejah Mulipola doubled to put the tying run at third with and the go-ahead run at second with one out. After an intentional walk to Jessie Harper, Palacios struck out and Alyssa Palomino-Cardoza grounded out to end the game. Palomino-Cardoza was injured on the final play. No update is available at this time.
The teams are back in action on Saturday for games 2 and 3 of the series in a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. MST. The games will be live on the Pac-12 Networks.