Evans tosses no-hitter in win over Cardinals

The Wildcats finished off yet another undefeated road trip by taking two wins from Stanford yesterday by scores of 11-0 and 5-2.

Evans tossed her fourth career no-hitter in the opener of yesterday's twin-bill as the game was called after the fifth inning due to the conference's eight-run mercy rule.

Evans struck out five Cardinal batters and walked just one, the only blemish to a near-perfect outing. She improved to 24-1 on the year and collected her 112th victory as a Wildcat.

Freshman outfielder Nicole Giordano recorded two hits in three at-bats while driving in three runs. Freshmen Lindsay Collins and Toni Mascarenas and sophomore Katie Swan also grabbed two hits.

In the night cap, freshman hurler Becky Lemke scattered seven hits in her complete-game victory.

UA was aided by the always-trustworthy hitting of seniors Leah Braatz and Lety Pineda. The duo each hit solo home runs to lead UA to its 13th Pacific 10 Conference victory against one loss.

Senior Alison McCutcheon and Evans each chipped in with a pair of base hits to help the cause as the Wildcats swept a doubleheader for the sixth time in conference play.

The outcome could have been drastically different as each team struggled to drive in base runners.

The Wildcats left 10 runners on base while the Cardinal stranded seven baserunners.

In Friday's two-game sweep of the Golden Bears, the Wildcats needed extra innings as senior catcher Leah Braatz hit a grand slam in the top of the ninth to lead UA to victory.

The game went to extra innings after Cal struck for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game at four off Evans, who won her 23rd decision of the season.

In the second game, Lemke struck out seven and tossed a three-hit shutout as the Wildcats squeezed by the Golden Bears, 3-0. The win was Lemke's 16th of the season.

Giordano went 2 for 4 with two RBI while another pair of freshmen, Lauren Bauer and Mascarenas, each collected two hits as well.

Arizona returns home this weekend to host Oregon and Oregon State, Friday and Saturday. Both doubleheaders are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at Rita Hillenbrand Stadium.