TUCSON, Ariz. – The defending national champion Arizona Wildcats, currently ranked third in the nation, topped 14^th-ranked Oregon, 4-1, at Hillenbrand Stadium on Saturday night in front of 2,628.

Arizona improves to 33-9 and 9-2 in the Pacific-10 Conference, while the Ducks fall to 38-10 and 3-7 in the Pac-10. Oregon has now dropped its last five conference games.

Arizona’s Callista Balko sealed the game in the bottom of the fifth with a two-run homer over the wall in right center giving the Wildcats a 4-1 lead

With junior Alicia Cook still on the mend and returning from illness, sophomore Melissa Rice (20-8) made her fifth consecutive start, allowing four runs on eight hits in six innings of work.

In the circle for Arizona was Taryne Mowatt. The junior improved to 25-7 on the year, allowing just one run on two hits, while striking out 15. Mowatt also walked eight, including Oregon freshman Jenn Salling on four occasions, twice intentionally.

Arizona took an early lead in the first as centerfielder Caitlin Lowe led off the bottom of the inning with a single up the middle, before stealing second and eventually scoring from third on Kristi’s Fox’s RBI single. Lowe finished the game 2-for-3 with two stolen bags.

Junior leftfielder Lovena Chaput tied the game in the third for the Ducks, taking Mowatt’s full-count offering over the wall in right field. It was the Tualatin, Ore., native’s sixth home run of the year and third against Pac-10 competition.

The Wildcats reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fourth when Jenae Leles reached base on an error, followed by an infield single from Laine Roth. A sacrifice bunt from Sam Banister moved the runners to third and second and K’Lee Arredondo’s sacrifice fly to left brought in pinch runner Jill Malina from third to score the go-ahead run.

Oregon missed opportunities to put runs on the scoreboard in both the third and fifth innings, but Mowatt was able to get out of both jams with strikeouts. In total, the Ducks left nine runners on base.

In the fifth it was senior Suzie Barnes causing havoc, drawing the walk and stealing her 35^th base of the season. Arizona didn’t risk much, intentionally walking  Salling and then walking senior Ann Marie Topps to load the bases with two outs on the board. But Mowatt was able to retire freshman Neena Bryant to avoid allowing any runs to cross the plate.

In the third with Barnes at second and Salling, who was intentionally walked at first, Mowatt struck out Topps to end the inning.

Oregon plays its final game of the weekend against the No. 3 Arizona Wildcats on Sunday with a 12 p.m. start scheduled at Hillenbrand Stadium.

QUACK TRACKS: Suzie Barnes has 35 stolen bases on the season, one short of tying Marnie McCall (36; 1992) for the single-season record.