April 30, 2011
Arizona 20, USC 4 (Box Score)
TUCSON, Ariz. - Every Wildcat starter collected at least one base hit and one run scored as the Arizona baseball team used a seven-run fourth inning and a six-run fifth inning en route to a 20-4 thumping of visiting USC on Saturday night at Kindall Field/Sancet Stadium.
Arizona (26-16, 8-9 Pac-10) used a breakout offensive performance that included 20 base hits to capture its second conference series victory of the year and push within a game of the .500 mark in league action. The 20 runs scored were the most for the Wildcats since scoring 29 against Washington State on May 13, 2006.
Robert Refsnyder hit a triple and a home run as he registered five RBI on the night. Bryce Ortega collected four hits, three runs scored and two RBI, while Cole Frenzel hit a three-run home run and scored three runs to highlight the offensive output.
In all, 11 Wildcats had a base hit, and eight of the nine starters had at least one hit, one RBI and one run scored. The first four batters in the order scored three runs.
The offense overshadowed an impressive effort by Arizona's pitchers. Konner Wade, who made his first weekend start for the Wildcats, turned in 4.1 innings of work as he allowed four runs on seven hits.
Vincent Littleman (2-3) tossed the final 4.2 innings to earn the victory. Littleman did not allow a run in relief and scattered three hits and a walk to go with two strikeouts.
Arizona broke open a 1-1 tie with seven runs in the home half of the fourth inning as USC starter Austin Wood was forced from the game. The Wildcats scored seven runs on four hits in the frame, but capitalized on three walks, a hit batsman and a wild pitch.
Wood (4-6) was charged with seven runs allowed in three-plus innings of work. He scattered seven hits and issued four total walks.
USC (18-24, 8-9 Pac-10) answered with three runs in the top of the fifth inning. Wade gave up three runs in the inning after four straight singles started a rally for the Trojans. Littleman entered with one out in the inning and gave up a run-scoring single, but otherwise sent the Wildcats back to the dugout with an 8-4 lead.
That left the door open for another big inning. For the second straight frame, at least nine Wildcats went to the plate as six runs were scored off four hits, The damage was done when Frenzel blasted a two-out, three-run home run to right field. Two batters later, Refsnyder launched a two-run homer to left center to push Arizona's lead to 14-4.
From there, Littleman and the Arizona defense shut out the Trojans. Littleman gave up just two hits and one walk over the final four innings, and the Wildcat defense turned a pair of nifty double plays started by Ortega at second base in the sixth and seventh innings, respectively.
Arizona will try for its first conference series sweep of the year on Sunday. The Wildcats and Trojans will take the field for the series finale at noon (MST). The game will be broadcast live on 1290 AM.
