Arizona Baseball loses two of three to Utah, drops Series

It was a rough weekend again for the Arizona Baseball team as the Wildcats drop two of three games against the Utah Utes.

As hot as Arizona Baseball had been playing, the Wildcats have quickly come crashing back down to earth. At one point, Arizona had won 13 of 16 games entering their series versus Stanford, however, since then it’s been rough for the Wildcats.

Getting swept at the hands of the Cardinal, perhaps things could be turned around against a struggling Utah team?

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Arizona would enter the three-game series, never having beaten the Utes the previous two years with Jay Johnson as head coach. Hopefully this year would be different!

On Friday, Cody Deason would take the mound as the Wildcats starter. From the get go, Arizona would jump out to an early lead.

Tied 0-0 in the second, sophomore Matt Fraizer would triple down the right field line, making it 2-0 in favor of the Cats. Alfonso Rivas would come up next, singling and scoring Fraizer from third, making it 3-0.

Still continuing their offensive barrage, the Wildcats would add another run in the top of the third, leading 4-0 over the host Utes. Unfortunately, that’s when things would go awry.

Utah would slowly chip away at the Wildcats’ lead, eventually taking control of the game in the sixth inning, when they would plate runs. Arizona would not find an answer over the next three innings, dropping game one by a 5-4 final. Deason would pick up his fourth loss of the season.

Hoping to put together a better outcome in game two, the Wildcats would turn to Michael Flynn on Saturday. The Wildcats would fall behind early in this one, giving up a run in the first and second inning.

Flynn would continue to pitch a solid game, before being pulled in the bottom of the seventh, when Utah would add another run, making it 3-1.

The Wildcats would retaliate in the eighth, when Cameron Cannon would hit a solo homer to left field, unfortunately, that’s all the offense the Wildcats could muster in this one, dropping game two and the series by a 3-2 final.

Flynn would pitch a solid game, but it wasn’t enough, as he picked up his third loss of the season.

Looking to avoid the sweep, Arizona needed a big performance in game three to save embarrassment.

With the bats quiet in the previous two games, finally the aluminum would come alive in this one. Juan Aguilera would also take the mound in game three for Arizona.

Much like game one, the Wildcats would jump out to an early lead. Rivas got things going early, when he would homer to center field, making it 1-0 after the top of the first. However, Utah would respond with a run of their own.

Tied 1-1 heading into the second, Arizona would take control again, when Nick Quintana would send a solo bomb to left, making it 2-1.

Arizona would continue their offensive barrage in the fourth, plating four runs, and taking a commanding 6-1 lead, highlighted by Rivas’ second home run of the game, this time a three-run blast.

However, with every offensive output the Wildcats would give, Utah would respond, adding two runs in the bottom of the fourth and fifth, cutting Arizona’s lead down to just two runs, trailing 7-5.

Luckily, the Wildcats’ bats wouldn’t be silenced, as Arizona would add 11 runs, yes, you read that correctly, 11 runs over the next two innings thanks to some timely hitting. After the seventh, Arizona would be ahead 18-5.

Unfortunately, Utah wouldn’t go away in this one, making things a little nerve-wrecking down the stretch, when they would cut into Arizona’s lead significantly, adding seven more runs. However, Arizona would shut the door in the ninth, sealing the win, and ending their five-game losing streak!

Rivas, Quintana and Fraizer would lead the way offensively in this one, going a combined nine of 14 from the plate, driving in 10 runs, and scoring seven runs.

With the win, the Wildcats would improve to 24-17 (7-11) on the season, despite losing back-to-back conference series.

The Wildcats will return to action on Monday, as the team stays in Utah, to play a one-game, non-conference match versus Utah Valley. Pac-12 action will return on Thursday, when Arizona hosts conference rival UCLA at Hi-Corbett Field.

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At Zona Zealots, we’re hoping the Cats can find their confidence again, and begin another winning streak! Bear Down, Arizona!