Arizona Baseball wins Series Against No. 4 OSU Beavers

Arizona Baseball (19-11) gets two wins in three game series versus the visiting No. 4 Oregon State Beavers this past weekend.

It was a very successful weekend for the Arizona Baseball team, as the Wildcats won two of three games against the visiting, No. 4 ranked OSU Beavers.

So far in 2018, it has been a bit of an up and down season. The Wildcats’s hitting had been lackluster to start the year, but finally the bats are coming around.

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Winners in six of their last seven game entering Monday, Arizona was going to have a tough challenge. The Beavers are one of the best teams in the conference, and for good reason.

Friday nights game was a huge one, and with such a good team in town, naturally fans flocked to Hi-Corbett on a nice evening in Tucson.

Junior hurler Cody Deason took the mound, and delivered a solid performance, that is until things began to unravel for him in the top of the sixth inning. Tied at 1-1, the Beavers would put three runs across that plate in that inning, taking a 4-1 advantage, and ultimately sealing the win.

Arizona’s offense couldn’t mind much success against OSU’s ace, Bryce Fehmel, scoring just two runs on six hits. Nick Quintana led the way from the plate for the Wildcats, going two for three and driving in a run.

The Wildcats dropped a tough one in the opening game, losing 6-2.

Game two was a much better result for the Wildcats. Trailing 1-0 early on, Arizona get things going in the bottom of the first inning, scoring two runs. Alfonso Rivas started first, when he would single to right field, scoring Cal Stevenson. A few batters later, Blake Paugh would single to center, scoring Quintana.

The very next inning, Rivas would come up big again, doubling down the left field line, scoring Ryan Haug and Cameron Cannon, taking a 4-2 lead. Arizona would add three more runs over the next few innings.

Leading 7-4 heading into the top of the eighth, that’s when Arizona would burst things wide open! The Wildcats would plate eight runners, taking a dominating 15-4 lead. Up 11-4, Cannon would blast a grand slam to left field.

Arizona would cruise to 15-4 win, evening the series at one-one.

Cannon, Rivas and Quintana would lead all Wildcat hitters in game two, going a combined seven of 13 from the plate, with nine RBI’s.

Junior pitcher Michael Flynn would pick up the win in this one, pitching five and two-thirds innings, surrendering four runs on seven hits, while improving his record to 5-1 on the year.

Going for the series win in game three, who knew coming into this one, Sunday’s finale was going to be a memorable one!

Senior pitcher Zach Stone would get the start on the mound for the Cats, however, his day wouldn’t last long as he would see just three innings of action.

Quintana would get the fireworks going early on, homering to left field, giving Arizona the early, 2-0 lead.

Unfortunately, that wouldn’t last long, as the Beavers responded quickly, and in a big way.

Oregon State would tie the game in the top of the fourth inning off a couple timely hits by the Beavers. The very next inning, OSU would add two more runs, taking a 4-2 lead.

Arizona would have a few opportunities to score, but came up empty. Trailing 5-2 in the bottom of the eighth, the Wildcats would start to get the bats going.

First, the Wildcats would score off a wild pitch. A few batters later, Quintana would come up big, singling to left field, scoring Cannon.

Now just down one run, freshman infielder Jacob Blas would ground out, but luckily, the Wildcats were able to bring in Rivas from third, tying the game at 5-5.

Arizona would hold off the Beavers in the top of the ninth, setting up for a remarkable bottom of the ninth inning.

Matt Fraizer came up first, singling to shortstop, before advancing to second on a throwing error. Haug would come up next, reaching base on a fielders choice.

With men on first and second, Stevenson would come up to the plate, grounding out down the third base line on a bunt attempt, advancing both Haug and Fraizer. Now with two men on and one out, the Beavers would walk Cannon, leaving the bases loaded for Rivas.

The game and series win on the line, Rivas would drive a single up the left field, scoring Frazier and delivering the 6-5 win for the Wildcats!

With the win, Arizona improves to 19-11 (4-5) on the year. The series win is a big one, and should give the Wildcats a boost of confidence, heading into their a mid-week game against Grand Canyon. Arizona will travel to Los Angeles next weekend to continue their Pac-12 play verses USC.

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At Zona Zealots, we are proud of the Wildcats’ performance this weekend, and only hope that continues moving forward! Bear Down, Arizona!