The Arizona baseball team redeemed themselves Sunday, March 25 as they came hot to the plate taking the series win over the Washington State Cougars, 9-2, at Hi-Corbett Field. The Wildcats were able to hold their winning home streak against the Cougars on Friday improving them to 10-0 at home, but then fell for the first time this season during the series on Saturday.
During their final meeting with the Cougs, Arizona was able to get on the board early in the game securing a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. With back-to-back singles by the Wildcats, junior Cesar Salazar was able to get the ‘Cats across the plate with a RBI single to score Alfonso Rivas. Designated hitter Blake Paugh made his way up to the plate hitting a line drive up the middle to bring in two more for Arizona.
Starting right-handed pitcher Michael Flynn didn’t give up any runs to the Cougs in the second and was able to get Arizona back to the plate.
Arizona’s bats remained hot through the bottom of the second. Senior Ryan Haug was able to cross the plate due to a wild pitch by WSU starting pitcher Cody Anderson. Cameron Cannon lived up to his name and hit a double to right field to bring in freshman Jacob Blas leaving the score 5-0.
Sophomore Nick Quintana hit his first home run of the 2018 season, bringing in Cannon with him and left the Cougars to trail behind by seven.
“I just have to have a clear mind. I’ve been really pressing and been trying to do too much and getting down on myself,” Quintana said. “I had a heart to heart and just said ‘dude relax and come out and have fun’ and thats what I tried to do today and be present on every pitch.”
WSU was able to add to one to the board in the top of the fifth with a solo home run to right field by right fielder JJ Hancock. Arizona couldn’t cross the plate during the fifth, but soon added another run in the sixth leaving the Cougs to trail 8-1.
At the top of the sixth Flynn was relieved by left-handed pitcher Gil Luna after throwing 6.1 innings. Arizona juggled around pitchers for the remaining three innings of the game and kept WSU from crossing home.
“It was a lot of good players playing hard,” Johnson said.
WSU senior Ryan Ramsower, Tucson native, added one more run for the Cougars in the seventh hitting a single to bring in James Rudkin, but Arizona responded with a RBI triple to left by Cannon leaving the score, 9-2.
“It was a good game today,” Johnson said. “Arguably one of our better games of the year for sure.”
Arizona will be back at Hi-Corbett Field on Thursday, March 29 at 6 p.m. for the first game of the three-game series against Nicholls State University.
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