March 29, 2011
Arizona 12, New Mexico 3 (Box Score)
TUCSON, Ariz. - The No. 18 Arizona baseball team scored 11 runs in the fifth inning en route to a 12-3 series-opening victory over visiting New Mexico on Tuesday evening at Kindall Field/Sancet Stadium.
Arizona (18-7) trailed by a run after the Lobos scored a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning. But the Wildcats mounted a furious rally in the home half of the inning, scoring 11 runs on 10 hits to claim a 12-2 lead en route to a 12-3 victory.
The 11 runs scored in the fifth inning were the most for an Arizona club in four seasons, when it also scored 11 runs in a single frame at Stanford on April 14, 2007.
New Mexico (9-16) stayed within striking distance over the first four and half innings and took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth. Konner Wade allowed a leadoff double and an error on a sacrifice bunt allowed Alex Allbritton to score. Former Wildcat Kyle Stiner, who reached on a three-base error with the sacrifice bunt, scored to give the Lobos the lead when Ben Woodchick collected an RBI on an infield single.
The Lobos threatened to add on to their lead, but reliever Bryce Bandilla came on to induce a ground ball double play up the middle to end the scoring.
That was when things fell apart for Richard Olson and the Lobos. Bryce Ortega lined a single to right field to lead off the bottom of the fifth, and Joey Rickard and Cole Frenzel reached on bunt singles to load the bases.
Jett Bandy delivered a sacrifice fly to tie the game before Steve Selsky drove in the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice groundout.
From there, the Wildcats scored nine more runs with two outs in the inning, highlighted by doubles from Seth Mejias-Brean, Frenzel and Bandy in the inning. In between, Alex Mejia stole home to further accentuate the scoring outburst.
In all, 16 Wildcats stepped to the plate in the fifth inning. Ortega and Rickard each scored two runs in the frame, while Bandy drove in three runs. Frenzel, who had two hits in the fifth and four on the night, extended his season-long streak of reaching base to 25-consecutive games.
New Mexico added a single run in the top of the seventh, which effectively set the game at its final score of 12-3.
Bandilla earned the win in relief with 1.2 scoreless innings. Nick Cunningham gave up the seventh inning run, while Michael Lopez and Jacob Doyle pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings, respectively.
In the third inning, the Wildcats claimed an early 1-0 lead. Ortega reached with a leadoff walk, stole second and moved to third on a groundout by Rickard. Frenzel followed with a double to drive in Ortega.
Wade tossed 4.1 innings in his second career start. Despite not factoring in the decision, Wade allowed two runs - one earned - with two strikeouts.
Olson suffered the loss for New Mexico after giving up five runs in 4.2 innings on the mound.
The two teams will conclude the brief two-game series on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for noon (MST/PDT) at Kindall Field/Sancet Stadium.
