Ducks Drop Wild Opener in Tucson

TUCSON, Ariz. – No. 17 Oregon matched its season high with four home runs, but No. 25 Arizona countered with three of its own as the Ducks fell to the Wildcats 11-8 in the series opener Thursday night at Hillenbrand Stadium.
 
Hannah Galey, who entered the game earlier as a defensive replacement, hit a two-run home run in the top of the sixth that tied the game, 8-8, but Arizona (22-14, 3-10) scored three times in the bottom of the sixth after there were two outs for the win.
 
How it Happened: Oregon (24-12, 4-9), put four runs on the board in the first inning. Allee Bunker doubled off the top of the wall in center field and Terra McGowan knocked her in with a single up the middle for the first run of the game.
 
KK Humphreys then hit the first of the Ducks' four home runs, an opposite field shot to right, for her sixth home run of the season, driving in McGowan.
 
Ariel Carlson capped the scoring in the first inning by blasting her team-leading 11th home run of the season to deep left center field.
 
Arizona scored twice in the bottom of the first to make it 4-2, but McGowan answered with her first home run of the season in the third inning to give the Ducks a 5-2 lead.
 
Starter Stevie Hansen worked out of trouble in the bottom of the third after the first two Arizona runners reached without a hit. She induced two fly outs and struck out Carlie Scupin to end the inning.
 
Arizona scored five times on five hits and an Oregon error in the fourth to take a 7-5 lead. The Wildcats scored another run in the fifth for an 8-5 advantage, but Oregon rallied.
 
Rachel Cid led off the sixth with her second hit of the game. Humphreys reached on a fielder's choice and scored on Carlson's double to the wall in center.
 
Carlson was on second when Galey tied things up with her third home run of the season. It was her first homer since March 12.
 
Noteworthy: This was the third game this season that Oregon hit four home runs (March 3 at UNC Greensboro, March 4 vs. Penn State). … The Ducks have now hit 48 home runs this season, six shy of their total for all of 2021 (54). … Carlson, Cid, Humphreys and McGowan all had two hits on Thursday, while Carlson, Galey, Humphreys and McGowan all had two RBIs. … The first inning homers by Humphreys and Carlson were Oregon's first back-to-back home runs since Carlson and Vallery Wong did that March 11 versus Portland State. … Volunteer assistant coach Alyssa Palomino-Cardoza received a big round of applause from the home crowd in Tucson during team introductions. Palomino-Cardoza was a two-time All-American for the Wildcats and led the Pac-12 in home runs in 2018.
 
On Deck: Game two between Oregon and Arizona will be Friday at 5 p.m. (ESPNU).
 
- www.GoDucks.com -