The first game of the night started in the third inning tied at two.

When it was over, both teams boasted just two hits, and the one home run by the No. 8 UA softball team gave the Wildcats their second win of the series over No. 7 ASU, 3-2.

Immediately following, the Sun Devils and Wildcats began the third and final game of the regular-season series, and the Wildcats took an early five-run lead in the first inning en route to a 10-6 win.

The Sun Devil offense came back fighting in the third inning with two outs, when a bases-loaded walk by junior infielder Ashley Muenz brought senior outfielder Kaitlin Cochran home, decreasing the Wildcat lead to two.

Next up was freshman infielder Christina Zambrana, whose two-RBI single tied the game at five.

“We know that we needed to score runs,” senior outfielder Jessica Mapes said. “We have to score runs from the get-go. So I think that started to build a little confidence, but we have to keep rolling with that. We can’t just shut down after we get them.”

The inning ended with three runs and two hits, but also three runners left on base.

The Wildcats quickly regained the lead in the next inning with a three-run home run off of freshman pitcher Hillary Bach.

The Sun Devils scored their last two runs of the game in that inning, set up by a double from freshman Kateyln Boyd.

“We executed really well at the plate,” Zambrana said. “It was a good team effort. We just couldn’t pull it off. It’s a tough loss, especially since it’s Arizona. We really wanted this. We wanted to make it happen for the seniors.”

Reach the reporter at emiley.darling@asu.edu.