Following a three-run complete game win over Illinois, Arizona pitcher Hanah Bowen was back in the circle against 15th-seeded Missouri and delivered perhaps the best pitching performance of her career. The senior finished with a complete-game shutout to lift the Wildcats to a 2-0 victory over the Tigers helping secure UA's spot in the regional final.

"I'm so proud of Bow because they had their chances, and she came through every single time," coach Caitlin Lowe said. "So proud of Bow, proud of the defense and just really a gritty win for us today."

It wasn't easy for Bowen as Missouri was able to get runners in scoring position but went 1-for-5 and left six runners on base in those situations.

The key inning came in the third when the Tigers had bases loaded with one out and Bowen got a fly out and a strikeout to end the threat. Amazingly, it appeared that she had been dealing with an injury and was limping for most of the game.

Bowen finished the game striking out six batters while allowing four hits and two walks on 118 pitches despite a potential injury and an hour-long lighting delay.

"Yeah, I feel okay. I just think on certain pitches my body gets a little out of whack and kind of gives out, but other than that I think mind over matter and that's where you have to be right now," Bowen said.

For Bowen it was her third straight complete game, but it was her first complete-game shutout since February 12, against New Mexico during the Wildcats' 1-0 victory.

As if having a pitcher who appeared to be injured toss a complete game in which there was an hour-long weather delay wasn't crazy enough, the Wildcats had to deal with adversity in the bottom half of the second inning after a leadoff hit by Paige Dimler. With Dimler on first base and no outs, hitter Blaise Biringer put down what appeared to be a perfect bunt and got on base, which would have given the team two on and no outs.

However, home plate umpire Liz Hammerschmidt said Biringer stepped out of the batter's box turning the situation from two on and no out to a 1-2 count on the Arizona sophomore.

Biringer was unable to get on base and struck out on the next pitch. But, the craziness didn't end there. Later in the inning UA assistant coach Lauren Lappin was ejected for still arguing about the bad call on Biringer, forcing Lowe to make her first career appearance coaching at third base.

"I think she got a little heated and no big deal," Lowe said. "I think that fired us up just a little bit. So, we can always make that happen. And me stepping out of the dugout away from my hitting charts. It's just fine, too. But I thought we didn't get a lot of breaks today. And the team stayed composed and fought through every single thing and handled it so well."

Although Missouri was able to keep the Wildcats offense in check for most of the game. Arizona found a way to break through in the bottom half of the fifth inning when Izzy Pacho was hit by a pitch with two outs in the inning to bring up first baseman Carlie Scupin.

Scupin battled her way through the at-bat and forced a 3-2 count, and on the sixth pitch of the at-bat she hit a ball deep over the right-center field wall for her 18th home run of the season giving the Wildcats its 2-0 lead.

“My first two at-bats I was trying to make adjustments,” Scupin said. “I wasn’t seeing her really well, but I knew she would give me a pitch and I did what I could with it."

During this Columbia Regional, the Wildcats have hit well in two-out situations and have scored seven runs while hitting .381 with two outs. On the other side, Arizona hasn't allowed a two-out run and has held opponents to 2-for-16 in those situations.

The Wildcats will await the winner of the losers' bracket with the final round taking place on Sunday. Whoever makes it out of the losers' bracket, Missouri or Missouri State, will have to beat Arizona twice in order to advance to the Super Regionals.

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