HOUSTON – The Arizona Wildcats (2-1) were not able to complete the three-game sweep of No. 24 Rice as the Owls took game three of the series by a score of 4-3. The Rice pitching staff held Arizona to just four hits after allowing 17 in the previous two games combined. The Arizona staff only allowed six hits, but four of them were extra base hits (one double, two triples and a home run).
Arizona got on the board first for the third game in a row. After both pitchers worked quickly and efficiently in the first inning, JJ Matijevic recorded his first hit of the series and Zach Gibbons was walked. Alfonso Rivas III came in and collected his first-career hit with a single to right, which loaded the bases. Cesar Salazar did his job as he hit a groundball to second which allowed the run to score. The Wildcats took advantage of a Rice error once again as Behnke dropped down a two-out suicide squeeze and pitcher Ricardo Salinas threw it over the head of first baseman Connor Tekyl. Gibbons scored and Arizona took a 2-0 lead.
Rice got a run back in the bottom half of the second inning after Dane Myers led off with a triple and Ford Proctor drove him in with a groundout to second, but that was all the Owls were able to get in the inning.
Both pitchers found a groove between the third and fifth innings. Bannister at one point had retired 13 batters in a row and Salinas had retired eight in a row, but the Wildcats were able to tally another run on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth.
After Ryan Aguilar led off with a single up the middle, he stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Matijevic came up and executed yet another suicide squeeze play. Aguilar scored and Matijevic was safe on the play.
Rice threatened in the bottom half of the sixth as the first two batters reached base. With two outs and runners on first and third, Bannister was able to get Tristan Gray to fly out to centerfield.
More trouble came for Arizona in the bottom of the seventh as Myers hit yet another leadoff triple, which knocked out Bannister of the game. Matt Hartman came on to pitch for the Wildcats. Proctor came up to bat and hit a first-pitch double to right center, cutting Arizona's lead to 3-2.
Hartman then got an out via a groundball to the shortstop, but Proctor advanced to third. Hartman intentionally walked Teykl and then Rio Gomez came on in relief. Gomez was able to retire pinch hitter Blake Fox after he could not get a bunt down with two strikes. Austin Schnabel then came on to face Hunter Kopycinski with two outs, and he was able to send him down on strikes, causing the dugout to erupt with excitement.
After Myers was able to hold Arizona scoreless in the top of the eighth, Grayson Lewis tied the game at three apiece in the bottom of the eighth with a leadoff home run, which knocked Schnabel out of the game. Rivas then was called to duty as he took over for Schnabel on the mound.
Rivas got into a bind after a single, sacrifice bunt, an intentional walk and a walk loaded the bases. Proctor was able to give Rice its first lead of the series with a sacrifice fly to centerfield, which would end up being the deciding factor.
Myers was able to finish it off after he struck out pinch hitter Michael Hoard and Zach Gibbons, and was able to get Cesar Salazar to foul out to third.
The Wildcats are back in action tomorrow as they travel to Beaumont, Texas to face Lamar in a one-game series at 5 p.m. MST.
Game Notes
This is the first time since 2008 that Arizona won an opening weekend series on the road against a ranked opponent. The Wildcats defeated Georgia back in 2008.
Arizona now has a record of 55-12 on opening weekend since 1995.
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