Feb. 18, 2011
Arizona 10, North Dakota State 0 (Box Score)
TUCSON, Ariz. - Kurt Heyer turned in seven strong innings with eight strikeouts and Bryce Ortega sparked the offensive attack with three hits and four RBI as No. 19 Arizona shut out North Dakota State, 10-0, in the season opener for both teams on Friday night at Kindall Field/Sancet Stadium.
The Wildcats (1-0) cruised throughout most of the game, plating a pair of runs in the second inning to claim a 2-0 advantage before later extending the lead to 5-0 in the fourth frame. The club put an exclamation mark on the game with five more runs in the seventh, which set the score at its final, 10-0.
Ortega, who returned to UA's lineup after missing the second half of the 2010 season with a back injury, seemed to factor into all of the Wildcats' scoring plays.
He went 3-for-4 at the plate, including an RBI single in the second inning to drive in UA's first run of the year. Then he helped open the game up in the fourth inning with an RBI triple before scoring a run of his own. The senior second baseman, an All-Pac-10 selection in a healthy 2009 season, capped his comeback night with a two-run single and another run scored in the seventh inning.
Heyer, an All-Pac-10 pitcher last spring as a freshman, turned in a steady start to his sophomore campaign, pitching seven shutout innings while scattering five hits. He struck out eight and walked two.
The Bison (0-1) threatened to end Heyer's shutout bid in the seventh as a pair of one-out hits put a runner in scoring position. But the right-hander induced a double-play ground ball to Ortega to end the inning.
Junior left-hander Matt Chaffee finished the game on the mound for Wildcats, tossing the final two innings to complete the shutout. Chaffee did not allow a hit and struck out three.
Offensively, UA tallied 13 base hits and struck out just three times on the evening. Four Wildcats picked up multiple hits, but interestingly, none was one of the team's top two hitters a year ago. Catcher Jett Bandy went 0-for-5 in the game, while outfielder Steve Selsky missed his first game of the year while recovering from a hand injury.
In their place, a trio of sophomores picked up the slack. Leadoff hitter Joey Rickard went 3-for-4 with a run and three RBI in the game. Meanwhile, first baseman Cole Frenzel drove in two runs on two hits and shortstop Alex Mejia scored three runs and had two hits in the game.
The Wildcats and Bison will hit the field again on Saturday afternoon for the second game of the three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Kindall Field/Sancet Stadium.
NOTE: Due to the Arizona men's basketball game against Washington at 4 p.m. on Saturday, fans planning to attend the baseball game are encouraged to park in the lots south of 6th Street (Lot 8111 and Lot 8112) or in the 6th Street Garage. Parking in these areas only will be free of charge. Regular basketball permit parking will be enforced around Kindall Field/Sancet Stadium.
