Tucson, Ariz. -- The UMBC Softball team put multiple runners on in the first few innings and kept No.11 Arizona off the board early, but the Wildcats pulled away late for a 7-0 victory in the first game of the 2021 NCAA Division I Softball Championship.

Fifth-year senior Maddie Daigneau (New River, Ariz.) hit a leadoff single in her first game in her home state of her college career. Julia Keffler (Huntingtown, Md.) followed with a walk, two put the first two on, but UMBC (25-12) couldn't cash in. Arizona (37-13) loaded the bases with no outs after a pair of errors and a walk, but Courtney Coppersmith (York, Pa.) got a strikeout and Daigneau and Meghan Dempsey (Collegeville, Pa.) each caught a fly ball to end the threat.

In the second, Ashley Della Guardia (Phoenxville, Pa.) drew a one-out walk, and Anna Lonchar (Bristow, Va.) was hit by a pitch to put two on again, but the Retrievers couldn't capitalize. It remained scoreless until the third when a one-out homer got Arizona on the board. 

Coppersmith kept the high-powered Wildcat offense in check, allowing just three earned runs and striking out four in five innings. Gillian McCarthy (Northfield, N.J.) made her third career NCAA Tournament appearance when she pitched the sixth. 

UMBC will face Villanova in an elimination game on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. EST.