Offense Stays Hot in Doubleheader Sweep

TUCSON, Ariz. -- No. 10 Arizona Softball swept Saturday's doubleheader, run-ruling Utah in game 1 -- 14-0, 5 inn. -- before winning the nightcap, 6-4. Arizona has won all three games of the series, outscoring Utah, 32-5.

The Wildcats will go for the four-game sweep on Sunday at noon.

Game 1: Arizona 14, Utah 0 (5 inn.)

For the second straight game, Arizona hit five home runs and overwhelmed Utah, 14-0 in five innings to clinch the series.

Arizona overpowered the Utes, plating three in the first and two in the second before putting up a nine-spot in the third inning. UA scored its 14 runs on 13 hits -- six of which went for extra bases. Dejah Mulipola, Sharlize Palacios, Alyssa Palomino-Cardoza, Malia Martinez and Carlie Scupin all homered in the game and Reyna Carranco doubled for the Cats.

Arizona's 14 runs were its most in Pac-12 game since scoring 22 vs. Utah on April 6, 2019.

In the circle, Alyssa Denham went the distance for her sixth shutout of the season. The senior improved to 15-5 on the season with the win. She allowed just three hits in the complete-game effort, fanning a pair and walking two.

Game 2: Arizona 6, Utah 4

Arizona closed out Saturday with a 6-4 win in game 2 of the doubleheader.

Sharlize Palacios hit a first-inning grand slam, her fourth home run of the series, tying her for the team lead with 14 home runs. Palacios is hitting .625 with the four homers and 10 RBI in three games this weekend.

The Utes hit a pair of homers of their own, a couple of solo homers off of UA starter Mariah Lopez. Lopez (7-2) allowed two runs on three hits with one walk in five innings. She was relieved by Alyssa Denham, who gave up two runs on two hits with two strikeouts and a walk in the final two frames.

Offensively, the Cats managed 11 hits, including three from Reyna Carranco, and two apiece from Malia Martinez and Carlie Scupin. All three of them are hitting over .750 this weekend: Scupin is hitting .833 (5-for-6) with a double and two homers and both Carranco and Martinez are hitting .778 (7-for-9) so far this weekend.

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