TUCSON, Ariz. – Tenth-ranked Arizona softball kicked off the Wildcat Invitational with a 7-0 victory over Drake on Thursday night at Hillenbrand Stadium.
 
Arizona pitchers Danielle O'Toole and Nancy Bowling threw a combined three-hit shutout while the offense plated seven runs on six hits. Six different Wildcats drove in runs in the contest, including Jessie Harper, who hit the lone homer in the game, a solo shot to center in the fifth.
 
The Wildcats scored the seven runs despite leaving 15 runners on base, including the bases loaded in four of the six offensive innings.
 
Arizona improved to 6-0 on the season while Drake fell to 4-2. The Cats and Bulldogs will meet again on Saturday; each time has five remaining games in the Wildcat Invitational.
 
O'Toole, who improved to 4-0 with the victory, pitched five strong innings in her fourth start of the year. O'Toole allowed just two hits while striking out four and not walking a batter. Nancy Bowling entered in the sixth and retired six of the seven batters she faced. Arizona lowered its team ERA to 0.72 with its third shutout of the season.
 
Arizona was helped out by a combined 12 walks from a pair of Drake pitchers and three errors that led to a pair of unearned UA runs. 
 
Reyna Carranco drew four of the walks in the game, the most by any Wildcat since Hallie Wilson drew four vs. LSU in the 2014 Tucson Regional final. She scored three of UA's seven runs.
 
Ashleigh Hughes and Mandie Perez had two-hit outings while Harper and Mercado also had hits and RBI. Mercado's fourth-inning single extended her hitting streak to a career-long 17 games.
 
A single and three straight walks brought in a run for the Cats in the first, but Arizona left the bases loaded.
 
A walk and a pair of errors helped UA add to its lead in the second. Perez drove in an unearned run. 
 
With the bases empty and two out, Carranco drew a walk to kickstart a two-out rally that plated another unearned run on a Drake error to make it 3-0 after three innings.
 
Jessie Harper led off the bottom of the fifth with her second homer of the season, paving the way for a four-run frame. Dejah Mulipola, Alyssa Palomino and Tamara Statman also drove in runs in the frame. 
 
Up Next: Arizona plays Ball State and Abilene Christian on Friday, two of six games on tap for the Wildcat Invitational. For a complete schedule, click here.
 
Follow Arizona Softball: For further coverage of Arizona softball, visit ArizonaWildcats.com and follow the team's Twitter and Instagram accounts (@UA_Softball).