May 7, 2011
Arizona 8, Alcorn State 2 (Box Score)
TUCSON, Ariz. - Two big innings at the plate and an 11-strikeout performance by Kurt Heyer on the mound helped the Arizona baseball defeat visiting Alcorn State 8-2 on Saturday night at Kindall Field/Sancet Stadium.
Heyer, who improved to 7-3 on the season, pitched eight strong innings as he racked up double-digit strikeouts for the fifth time on the season. A bases loaded walk in the top of the eighth inning ended his chance at a shutout.
Arizona (29-16) managed just two hits over the first three innings, but exploded with five runs in the home half of the fourth inning thanks to five consecutive two-out base hits. Bobby Rinard delivered a two-run double and came in to score on Alex Mejia's RBI double. Seth Mejias-Brean and Joey Rickard added run-scoring singles later in the inning to stake the club to a 5-0 lead.
Alcorn State (22-22) starter Troy Williams suffered the loss after giving up the five runs. He pitched five innings and scattered seven hits and two walks.
The Wildcats tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. With a pair of runners on base, Mejias-Brean crushed a two-run triple. Bryce Ortega followed with an RBI single to push Arizona's lead to 8-0.
The Braves picked up back-to-back base hits off Heyer to open the eighth inning, before the right-hander answered with a pair of strikeouts. Uncharacteristically, Heyer walked the next two hitters with the latter forcing in the first run of the game for the Braves. A fly out ended the inning and left the bases loaded.
In the ninth inning, James Farris took over for Heyer. Farris gave up two hits and a run in the inning, but struck out Gabriel LeBron to end the game.
The Wildcats collected 12 hits in the game, led by three-hit performances by Rickard and Rinard, who scored two runs and tallied two RBI. Mejias-Brean scored a pair of runs and registered three RBI in the contest.
Arizona will try for its second straight weekend sweep on Sunday when the two teams meet in the series finale. First pitch is set for noon at Kindall Field/Sancet Stadium.
