Arizona Baseball wins series finale to prevent sweep versus Cal

TUCSON, AZ- Arizona Baseball (18-16, 6-9) wins the series finale, to prevent the sweep against the visiting Cal Golden Bears (19-12, 7-5).

After winning four-straight and hoping to carry that momentum into the weekend, the Arizona Baseball team returned to Pac-12 action on Friday, to take on the Cal Golden Bears.

On Friday, it was junior Randy Labaut that took to the mound, hoping to lead the Cats to victory. Early on, it was Cal that got things going in this one.

Arizona Wildcats

Tied 0-0 heading into the third inning, Cal struck first in this one, doubling down the left field line to make it 1-0. Luckily, that lead didn’t last long, as Arizona came right back, when senior utility Justin Wylie, homered in the fourth to tie it 1-1.

However, the offense didn’t stop there. Cal would add two more runs in the top of the fifth, followed by another in the sixth inning to make it 4-3 Bears.

But Arizona was resilient in this one! The Cats would tie this one up again, when Nick Quintana would through the left side to score Matthew Dyer to tie it 4-4.

Unfortunately, that’s the last time Arizona would get this close in this one. The Golden Bears would explode for six runs in the eighth inning to make it 10-4.

Arizona would try to come back in this one, plating a run in the eighth, followed by two more in the ninth, but ultimately failed, losing 10-7 and dropping game one.

Arizona pitcher Vince Vannelle would pick up the loss, his first on the year.

Game two wouldn’t go much better for the Cats. Freshman Quinn Flanagan would get the start, delivering five-and-one-third solid innings, surrendering three runs on six hits. Unfortunately he would pick up the loss as got little run support in this one.

The Wildcats would take the 1-0 lead early, when Quintana would double to left, scoring Austin Wells. The Bears would respond in this one, scoring in the fifth to tie it, but then taking the lead for good in the sixth inning, when Cal would plate two more to make it 3-1.

Arizona was never able to fully recover, dropping game two by a 7-3 final.

Needing a big day to prevent the sweep, the Wildcats returned to action on Sunday afternoon, to close out the series versus Cal.

Arizona’s Andrew Nardi took to the mound, and fortunately for the Cats, the junior would have a huge day, delivering six, fantastic innings pitched, surrendering seven hits, but gave up no runs, and struck out six, Cal batters.

The Wildcats would get things started in this one in the third inning, when Austin Wells would double to right, scoring Donta Williams, followed by a Branden Boissiere single that would score Wells to make it 2-0 Arizona.

Cal would finally get one back in the seventh inning to make it 2-1, but Dyer would then homer in the bottom of the eighth, to make it 3-1. Arizona would add another in the same inning, when an errant pitch by Cal made it 4-1.

The Wildcats would end up cruising to the 4-2 win, despite giving up a solo home run in the ninth inning.

Nardi would pick up his third win on the year, while Avery Weems was the one to shut the door on Cal, picking up his third save of the season!

Offensively, it was Dyer, Boissiere and Wells that seemingly led the Cats, all going a combined 4-11 from the plate, driving in three runs.

With the win, the Wildcats improve to 18-16 (6-9) on the year, and will have a little break to take on No. 4 Oregon State in Corvallis. The three-game series versus the Beavers will start on Thursday, and will conclude on Saturday.

Here’s to hoping the Cats can put a competitive series together in this one, to gain some confidence for 2019!

At Zona Zealots, we’re proud the Cats competed and didn’t quit. It’s been a tough season of baseball, but Arizona is still fighting! Bear Down, Arizona!