Arizona’s Kenzie Fowler and California’s Jolene Henderson engaged in a pitcher’s duel Friday afternoon, and while Arizona registered six of the game's eight hits, top-ranked California came out on top 2-0.
Both of the game's two runs came in the sixth inning. In the top of the frame, UA recorded back-to-back-to-back singles, but a runner thrown out at the plate and two groundouts kept the Wildcats off the scoreboard. In the bottom half, a leadoff walk followed by a single put two on with nobody out. Two battery errors, a passed ball and a wild pitch plated Cal’s runs.
Fowler (12-4) allowed only two hits, both infield singles, to one of the nation’s most prolific offenses. The junior struck out six and walked five in the complete game. She was charged with one earned run.
Her opposition, Henderson, improved to 21-1 on the season by tossing seven shutout innings, keeping the Cats off the board despite allowing five hits in the final three frames. Through four innings, Henderson allowed only one base runner -- that on a Chelsea Goodacre single -- and struck out nine of the 13 batters she faced. She finished with 10 strikeouts and no walks.
The game took just 96 minutes to complete, making it the shortest seven-inning contest of the season for UA (28-11, 7-6 Pac-12).
Arizona managed six singles off Henderson, five off the bat of freshmen. Classmates Hallie Wilson, Chelsea Suitos and Goodacre had one hit apiece and Shelby Pendley had two. Senior Karissa Buchanan was the only non-freshman to record a hit.
Cal (38-1, 10-0 Pac-12) had two runners on in the first and third innings but could not score.
Arizona’s only frame with runners in scoring position was the sixth. Buchanan singled to short before Wilson singled through the left side. Suitos then slapped a ball down the left-field line, but Buchanan was thrown out at the plate trying to score the game’s first run. Brigette Del Ponte grounded out to the pitcher to end the threat.
In the bottom of the sixth, Fowler issued a leadoff walk to Valerie Arioto. Jace Williams followed with a slap single on which Arioto advanced to third with the help of a Fowler throwing error. Arioto would then score the game’s first game on a passed ball that moved pinch runner Elia Reid to third. Reid scored shortly thereafter on a wild pitch to give Cal a 2-0 lead.
In the seventh, the Wildcats used a one-out single by Pendley to bring the tying run to the plate. Henderson, though, would induce a pair of groundouts to earn the win.
