Arizona's Sharlize Palacios and Allie Skaggs hit back-to-back home runs to help their team overcome an early deficit.
Alec White Led by the bats of Sharlize Palacios and Allie Skaggs, the Arizona Wildcats scored eight unanswered runs to overcome an early deficit and beat Illinois 8-3 in Friday's opening round of the NCAA Regionals in Columbia, Missouri.
The Wildcats appeared to be in trouble to start the day. Pitcher Hanah Bowen gave up a quick pair of runs in the first inning on a two-RBI double from the Illini cleanup hitter Kelly Ryono. Bowen allowed three hits in the inning, but she quickly settled in soon thereafter. The following inning, the Cats got two more long balls, both with two outs. Janelle Meoño reached on an infield single bringing in Palacios. On the first pitch of the at-bat, Palacios slapped a line shot over the right-center field fence for her 18th homer of the season to put Arizona up 3-2.
The lead helped Bowen find a rhythm in the circle as she sent the Illini down in order in the third and fourth innings. Illinois put runners on first and second in both the fifth and sixth, though Bowen was able to get out unscathed.
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