TUCSON, Ariz. -- Four home runs led the way for the 14th-ranked Arizona softball team, which earned an 11-1 victory in five inning over No. 21 Arizona State in the finale of a three-game series.
It was Arizona's largest win vs. a ranked opponent since May 9, 2010, when the Cats defeated Oregon 11-0 in five innings. It also marked the first time that Arizona State (24-11, 5-3 Pac-12) had been run-ruled since May of last season.
The Cats (28-9, 3-3 Pac-12) used power hitting and clutch pitching to get by the Sun Devils. ASU went 3-for-17 with runners on base, including 0-for-5 with the bases loaded.
Arizona registered nine hits against ASU's pitching duo of Breanna Macha (11-6) and Dale Ryndak. Chelsea Goodacre, Mandie Perez, Hallie Wilson and Katiyana Mauga hit home runs. Mauga's three-run walk-off blast in the fifth ended the game due to the mercy rule.
Goodacre drove in three runs, extending her conference-leading RBI total to 54. Her second-inning solo homer was her 60th of her career, making her the sixth Wildcat to accomplish the feat.
Mauga kept pace with Washington's Courtney Gano, who homered Sunday as well, atop the Pac-12 home run charts. Mauga and Gano each has 15 homers.
Arizona State put pressure on Arizona pitchers all night, leaving the bases loaded in the first, third and fifth innings. The Sun Devils stranded runners in scoring position in the other two frames as well. In total, ASU left 12 batters on base.
Michelle Floyd (16-5) earned the victory, tossing three innings of scoreless ball in the start. She allowed just three hits but walked four and hit a batter. Trish Parks entered in relief of Floyd and allowed one run on three hits in two innings. The freshman walked one and struck out two.
Goodacre led off the bottom of the second inning with an opposite-field home run to give Arizona the early advantage. Three batters later, Perez, after falling into an 0-2 hole, worked the count full on the ninth pitch of the at-bat. She sent the 10th off the scoreboard in right field, a two-run shot to put Arizona ahead 3-0.
The Sun Devils cut into a 6-0 UA lead in the fifth when a Sashel Palacios single scored Amber Freeman, who led off the inning with a double. After a fielder's choice, a single and an error loaded the bases with just one out, Parks struck out pinch-hitter Margaret Stahm before inducing a fielder's choice.
In the bottom of the fifth, Perez reached on an error with one down before the Cats mounted a two-out rally to end the game. Wilson hit a two-run bomb to chase Macha in favor of Ryndak. The first batter she faced, Chelsea Suitos, came inches away from her first career home run when she doubled off the top of the wall in right-center. Fox followed with her third walk of the game before Mauga's three-run homer ended it.
ASU won the series, 2-1.
