Feb. 21, 2004
Box Score
TUCSON, Ariz.- The No. 13-ranked Arizona baseball team (5-3) left 10 runners on base, including the potential game-tying run at third in the bottom of the ninth, as UC Irvine (5-2) jumped out to an early lead and held on to win, 6-5, on Kindall Field at Sancet Stadium on Saturday.
Trailing by one in the home half of the ninth with two-outs and sophomore Derek Decater just 90 feet away from tying the game, Anteater reliever Blair Erickson got pinch hitter Bill Rhinehart to fly out to right field to strand Decater at third and preserve the UCI victory.
Arizona had rallied to pull within one in the inning on a Jason Donald solo home run to left, his team-high fourth of the season, and a run scoring ground out by DJ Lewis before Erickson finally closed the door on Rhinehart and the Wildcats for his fourth save of the year.
Paced by a 2 for 5, two-run day by leadoff hitter Brett Dalton, UCI scored one run on three hits in the first, broke the game open with four runs on five hits in the second and chased losing pitcher Kevin Guyette (0-1) after just 2 2/3 innings with another run in the third.
The Wildcats, who eventually got on the score board with three runs in the sixth, had a chance to score early, but poor base running helped to end the Arizona threat.
With one out in the bottom of the first, Donald singled up the middle and advanced to second on a walk by Jeff Van Houten. Decater followed with a shallow single to right field which would have loaded the bases for Lewis, but Van Houten was caught too far away from second after rounding the bag and was tagged out on the relay throw.
With runners on the corners and two outs, Lewis grounded into a fielder's choice to end the inning and keep the Wildcats scoreless.
UCI's Glenn Swanson (1-0) picked up the win on the mound with 5 2/3 innings of work. The left-hander gave up three runs on six hits while finishing with eight strikeouts and three walks.
Arizona sophomore reliever Pat Lawler provided a very bright spot despite the loss. Replacing Guyette in the third, the right-hander gave up just one hit over the final 6 1/3 innings, striking out four and walking just one.
The Wildcats, who have lost three straight games, will attempt to avert the three-game series sweep at 1 pm on Sunday. Right-hander Luis Cortez will toe the rubber as the starter for Arizona.
