OKLAHOMA CITY — Malia Quarles delivered when her name was called.
The UCLA sophomore launched a pinch-hit, solo homer in the sixth that provided the game-winning run and opened the floodgates in the Bruins’ 6-2 win over Arizona on Friday.
The Wildcats will play the winner of the Alabama-Florida elimination game on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. PT on ESPN, needing a win to keep their season alive. The Bruins stay in the winner’s bracket.
Quarles’ homer snapped a 1-1 tie. The Bruins then added four runs in the seventh to pad their lead.
Aside from a pair of long balls by Alyssa Palomino-Cardoza in the third and seventh, Arizona could not crack UCLA ace Rachel Garcia.