1 2018 ARIZONA SOFTBALL OFFICIAL GAME NOTES SEASON in REVIEW QUICK FACTS Tracking the Stat
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2018 ARIZONA SOFTBALL8 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS OFFICIAL GAME ('91,NOTES '93, '94, '96, '97, '01, '06, '07) • 11 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS • SEASON IN22 REVIEW WCWS APPEARANCES • 32 CONSECUTIVE NCAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES • 100 ALL-AMERICA honorS Twitter: @ArizonaSoftball • Instagram: @ArizonaSoftball • Snapchat: UA_Softball • YouTube: Arizona Softball SID Contact: Danny Martinez • [email protected] • 520-621-0084 • www.ArizonaWildcats.com schedule/results 2018 in review Overall (NFCA Rank) 43-16 (11th) • Behind elite pitching and a powerful off ense, the 2018 Wildcats fi nished 43-16, good for the 31st 40-win Pac-12 (Standing) 13-11 (5th) season in program history. Home 28-4 Road (Away + Neutral) 15-12 • Arizona earned its 32nd consecutive NCAA Tournament berth, adding onto the longest streak in the vs. Ranked 8-13 history of the sport. UA went 3-2 in the postseason, sweeping the Tucson Regional for its 29th regional championship and advancing to its 13th super regional in the last 14 years. Arizona's 13 super regional FEBRUARY (13-1) appearances in the round's 14 years are the second most in the NCAA behind only Alabama, who has been 9 Northwestern! W, 4-1 9 (24) Oklahoma State! L, 4-9 to all 14 NCAA Super Regionals. 10 UC Davis! W, 6-1 • The Wildcats won eight games against ranked opponents, including three against teams that advanced to 10 (RV) Fresno State! W, 13-1 (5) the Women's College World Series (2 vs. ASU, 1 vs. Oklahoma). 11 New Mexico! W, 8-0 (5) 15 Colorado State% Rained Out • Alyssa Palomino became Arizona's 100th All-American when she earned fi rst-team NFCA All-America hon- 16 Troy% Rained Out ors for her superb season. Palomino led the Wildcats in batting average (.363), home runs (19), slugging 16 Bryant% Rained Out percentage (.750) and on-base percentage (.446). 17 Louisiana-Monroe% W, 4-0 17 Montana% W, 2-1 • Palomino led the Pac-12 in home runs (19), marking the fi fth straight season that Arizona has had the 18 Colorado State% W, 3-0 Pac-12 leader (or co-leader) in home runs. A Wildcat has led (or fi nished tied for the lead) the Pac-12 in 20 18 Bryant% W, 15-0 (5) of the last 30 years. 22 North Carolina# W, 10-0 (5) 22 Missouri# W, 9-4 • Jessie Harper fi nished second in the conference in home runs (18) for the second straight season. Over 23 St. John's# W, 7-5 the last fi ve seasons, Arizona has had the top two home-run-hitters in the Pac-12 every year except 2016. 23 CSUN# W, 8-0 (5) • Seven Wildcats were named all-Pac-12 in 2018, six of whom will be returning in 2019. Sophomore short- 24 (4) Oklahoma# W, 2-0 MARCH (14-5) stop Jessie Harper, junior pitcher Taylor McQuillin and sophomore fi rst baseman Alyssa Palomino were 2 at Texas W, 2-0 named fi rst-team all-Pac-12, senior outfi elder Ashleigh Hughes and sophomore catcher Dejah Mulipola 3 at Texas L, 1-3 were second teamers, and sophomore second baseman Reyna Carranco and sophomore pitcher Alys- 4 at Texas W, 10-2 sa Denham were named third-team all-conference. Mulipola was also named to the Pac-12 all-defensive 8 South Dakota^ W, 9-1 (5) team. 9 Wisconsin^ W, 1-0 9 San Diego^ W, 10-2 (5) • Likewise, seven Wildcats were named NFCA all-region. UA's seven total all-region players as well as its 10 (24) USC Upstate^ W, 3-0 four fi rst-team selections were both tied for third-most nationally. Jessie Harper, Taylor McQuillin, Dejah 10 Wisconsin^ W, 9-3 Mulipola, and Alyssa palomino were named to the fi rst team, Reyna Carranco was named to the second 11 (24) USC Upstate^ W, 9-1 (5) team and Aleah Craighton and Ashleigh Hughes were named to the third team. All fi ve of Arizona's fi rst 14 (RV) Minnesota L, 0-1 (8) and second team selections will be back in 2019, including all four fi rst teamers. Arizona's four returning 16 Utah* W, 4-1 17 Utah* W, 9-4 fi rst-team all-region players are tied for the most in the country (along with UCLA). 18 Utah* W, 10-3 • Taylor McQuillin led the country with 15 shutouts, the most by a Wildcat since Kenzie Fowler threw 15 23 at (1) Washington* L, 1-2 (8) in 2010. McQuillin, who threw three shutouts against ranked opponents, including one-hitters vs. No. 4 24 at (1) Washington* L, 3-4 (8) 25 at (1) Washington* L, 0-2 Oklahoma (2/24) and No. 22 Cal (3/29), became the fi rst Wildcat to lead the NCAA in shutouts since the 29 (22) California* W, 3-0 NCAA began tracking the stat. 30 (22) California* W, 3-2 (9) 31 (22) California* W, 7-3 STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: Twelve of Arizona's 16 losses came to eventual Women's College World Series APRIL (8-7) 6 at (5) Oregon* L, 2-5 teams; the Cats went 3-12 vs. the eventual WCWS fi eld. UA played 15 games against top-10 teams, its most 7 at (5) Oregon* L, 0-8 (6) since 2010 (18). Overall, Arizona fi nished 8-13 vs. ranked teams in 2018. 8 at (5) Oregon* L, 0-10 (6) 13 (4) UCLA* L, 6-7 HOME RUN U 14 (4) UCLA* L, 3-7 • Arizona fi nished tied for sixth nationally with 75 home runs, 12 behind national leader Eastern Kentucky. 15 (4) UCLA* L, 3-10 The Wildcats' 75 home runs mark their 15th 70-homer season in program history, the most in the NCAA. 18 New Mexico State W, 7-3 18 New Mexico State W, 9-0 (5) • Alyssa Palomino (19) and Jessie Harper (18) fi nished 1-2 in the Pac-12 in home runs, marking the fourth 20 at (8) Arizona State* L, 1-2 time in the last fi ve years that Arizona has had both the top home run hitter in the conference as well as 21 at (8) Arizona State* W, 4-1 the runner-up. UA has had the Pac-12 leader (or co-leader) in fi ve straight years and 20 times since 1989. 22 at (8) Arizona State* W, 4-2 (8) 25 New Mexico W, 3-1 Dejah Mulipola fi nished tied for sixth in the league with 12. Arizona is one of only two teams in the country 27 (RV) Oregon State* W, 9-0 (5) with two players with at least 18 home runs (Campbell) and one of only seven teams nationally with three 28 (RV) Oregon State* W, 6-2 players with 12 or more home runs (Campbell, East-IN THE NOTES 29 (RV) Oregon State* W, 9-1 (6) ern Kentucky, Fordham, James Madison, Ohio State, Pg. 1-2 Notes MAY (8-3) Oklahoma). Pg. 3 2018 Honors/Hillenbrand Renovations 5 Grand Canyon W, 1-0 5 Grand Canyon W, 9-0 (6) • Arizona has hit 2,086 home runs since softball be-Pg. 4 Roster/Pac-12 Standings/Top 25 6 Grand Canyon W, 8-0 (5) came a Division I sport in 1982, the most of any team Pg. 5 At The Plate/Home Run Tracker/Quick Hits 10 at Stanford* W, 1-0 in NCAA history. Pg. 6 Batting Order Game-By-Game 11 at Stanford* W, 4-0 Pg. 7 Position Game-By-Game 12 at Stanford* L, 1-2 (8) • Arizona has four of the top six home run hitters in 18 Saint Francis@ W, 1-0 NCAA history, including Katiyana Mauga, who hit a Pg. 8 Hillenbrand Stadium 19 North Dakota State@ W, 6-0 Pac-12 record 92 from 2014-17, three shy of the NCAA Pg. 9 Pac-12/NCAA Rankings 20 (RV) Mississippi State@ W, 4-3 record. Pg. 10 Results 24 (2) UCLA~ L, 1-7 Pg. 11 Overall Stats 25 (2) UCLA~ L, 2-3 • Arizona has hit 100-or-more home runs six times in program history. Only two other schools have hit thePg. 12 Pac-12 Stats Home; Neutral site; (NFCA Ranking); times local to site century mark more than twice (UTSA and Louisiana Pg. 13-14 Game-By-Game ! Kajikawa Classic // Tempe, Ariz. Lafayette). Pg. 15 Stats Summary % Hillenbrand Invitational // Tucson, Ariz. Pg. 16-17 Game Highs # Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic // Palm Springs, Calif. ^ Wildcat Invitational // Tucson, Ariz. THE NATION'S LEADER IN SHUTOUTS: Taylor McQuil-Pg. 18-30 Player Profi les @ NCAA Regional // Tucson, Ariz. lin led the country with 15 shutouts, including fi ve ofPg. 31-40 Box Scores ~ NCAA Super Regional // Los Angeles, Calif. her fi nal seven starts. She became the fi rst Wildcat toPg. 41 T.V. Roster * Pac-12 Game lead the country in shutouts since the NCAA beganPg. 42 2018 NCAA Tournament Bracket 1 2018 ARIZONA SOFTBALL OFFICIAL GAME NOTES SEASON IN REVIEW QUICK FACTS tracking the stat. McQuillin's 15 shutouts are the most by a Wildcat since Kenzie Fowler's 15 in 2010. Three of her shutouts came against ranked teams, including one-hitters vs. No. 4 Oklahoma (2/24) and No. 22 Cal GENERAL INFORMATION (3/29). She also has a no-hitter this season (2/11 vs. New Mexico). McQuillin led the Pac-12 in shutouts and Location ........................................................... Tucson, Ariz. fi nished second in wins (28) and third in strikeouts (287). Enrollment ..................................................................43,500 Nickname ................................................................ Wildcats SUPER SOPHOMORES: The top four Wildcat hitters (by batting average) were all sophomores.