SCOTTSDALE, AZ – Returning to action on day three of the MLB Desert Invitational Arizona Baseball (2-1) earned the 7-1 win against Michigan State.
Arizona Baseball was back in action on Sunday evening! And after falling to Fresno State on Saturday following its upset of No. 2 Tennessee, the Wildcats were looking to get things back on track.
Turning to Bradon Zastrow who got the start on the bump for the Wildcats, the left-handed junior hurler was up to the challenge for the Cats as he came up big in his first collegiate start!
Throwing five-and-a-third solid innings, Zastrow would finish his day surrendering just one run on four hits while striking out five en route to earning the win.
He would eventually be replaced by Dawson Netz and Chris Barraza, but together it was a dominant day on the mound for the Cats as Arizona held Michigan State to just one run on five hits while striking out 11 Spartan batters.
Offensively, the Wildcats combined for 10 hits and seven runs, although it was Chase Davis who carried the big bat, finishing 3-5 from the dish with four RBIs including two home runs.
Although the offense was quiet early on, the offense exploded late for Arizona Baseball fueling the Wildcats’ 7-1 win.
The Wildcats would get the action going early in this one when a well-timed hit from Nik McClaughry set up Arizona’s Chase Davis who blasted his first home run of the season to make it 2-0 after he sent a 1-1 pitch over the left field wall.
Unfortunately, Michigan State would get one back in the bottom of the third inning to make it 2-1, but luckily for us, that would be the last time that the Spartans would generate any offense.
Arizona would continue to find its offensive rhythm in the fourth plating a run to make it 3-1, followed by another fortuitous fifth inning when Davis homered again to make it 4-1.
Leading comfortably, the Wildcats would add two more runs in the sixth to extend its lead to 6-1, before adding another insurance run in the ninth inning when a few more well-timed hits set up Tommy Splaine to single up the middle scoring one and making it 7-1.
The Wildcats’ bullpen would come up big over the final few innings, holding Michigan State scoreless as Arizona came away with the dominant, 7-1 win!
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Where does Arizona Baseball go from here?
With the win, Arizona improves to 2-1 on the year and will face UC San Diego in a Monday matchup for day four of the MLB Desert Invitational. First pitch is set for 1:00 P.M. MST!
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