In front of 2,579 fans at Hillenbrand Stadium, Oregon put two grand slams into a packed Candrea’s Corner in the first three innings, helping the 16th-ranked Ducks to an 11-7 win over No. 13 Arizona.
Kailee Cuico and Christie Nieto homered with the bases loaded and no one out in the first and the third innings, respectively for Oregon (34-12, 10-7 Pac-12).
The Wildcats (31-13, 8-8 Pac-12) scored seven runs on 11 hits, tying their second-highest hit total of the season, but UA pitchers allowed 11 runs on 13 hits, both season worsts.
Lini Koria hit two home runs, both two-run homers, in the contest. Koria’s two homers, one in the first and one in the seventh, gave her 13 for the season, second on the team.
Chelsea Goodacre added a home run of her own in the contest, as the freshman powered a solo homer over the scoreboard in right field in the fourth for her sixth of the season.
Kenzie Fowler (13-6) pitched four innings and gave up eight runs, seven earned, on six hits while striking out four and walking three. The outing was Fowler’s worst since allowing nine runs on six hits in a complete-game loss to New Mexico State on March 21. Jessica Spigner entered to pitch the final three innings and allowed three runs on seven hits and a walk.
Arizona’s offense got to Oregon’s Jessica Moore (23-8), whose 1.99 ERA ranked fourth in the Pac-12 entering the game, for seven runs, six earned, on 11 hits. Moore struck out three and walked three.
Oregon got off to a strong start when its first two batters singled and Fowler hit the No. 3 batter to load the bases with no one out. Cuico then slammed the bases clear to give Oregon a 4-0 lead before the Cats had recorded an out. Fowler would also allow a double in the inning to Samantha Pappas, who would later be caught trying to steal third.
UA got three runs right back in the bottom the first. Hallie Wilson led off the frame with a walk, and Chelsea Suitos changed places with her on a fielder’s choice. Brigette Del Ponte then doubled home Suitos and scored on Koria’s homer that made it 4-3.
In the third inning, an error and two consecutive four-pitch walks put the first three Ducks on base. For the second time in three innings, Oregon hit a grand slam with no one out, this time off the bat of Nieto.
The Cats brought the tying run to the on-deck circle when they loaded the bases with two out on two singles and a walk in the bottom of the third, but Moore induced a popout to end the threat, and the Wildcats got no closer than four runs the rest of the way.
