Tucson, Ariz. – Zach Gibbons pounded out his sixth-straight multi-hit game Tuesday night, but the Arizona Wildcats dropped a close contest with UC Riverside 6-5 at Hi Corbett Field.
The Highlanders scored four runs in the fifth and added two more in the sixth to ensure a mid-week victory over the Wildcats.
The Cats (16-8) took an early lead when they plated three runs in the bottom of the second. Bobby Dalbec started the inning with a walk, before stealing second. After a strikeout, Gibbons lined a single to left field to score Dalbec from second for the first run of the game.
Jared Oliva then singled to move Gibbons to third. Oliva was able to move up to second on the throw into the infield. With runners on second and third with one out, Justin Behnke laid down a sacrifice bunt that was not only able to score Gibbons from third, but also Oliva from second.
Behnke's bunt was perfectly placed right in front of the plate, forcing the catcher to field the ball and fire to first. Oliva never broke stride from second and was able to hustle home to make it 3-0 in favor of the Wildcats.
That remained the score until the fifth inning when the Highlanders (11-12) finally got to starting pitcher Alfonso Rivas and the Arizona relievers. The Cats were able to get two outs with the Highlanders having two baserunners on. Robby Medel, who took over for Rivas got a strikeout of the first batter he faced, gave up a single to center to score two runs and cut Arizona's lead to 3-2. Medel then surrendered an infield single to put runners on first and second with the two outs.
Cody Moffett took over for Medel and walked the first batter he faced. Moffett then got a groundball to shortstop that was resulted in an error and two more runs for UC Riverside to make it 4-3. The Cats didn't move any runners across in the bottom of the fifth and the Highlanders added two more in the top of the sixth. After Moffett retired the first two batters, he walked back-to-back hitters. Nathan Bannister then took over and the first batter he faced reached on an error to score a run. Another run came in on a wild pitch to make it 6-3 Highlanders.
Rio Gomez tossed two scoreless innings to get the Wildcats to the eighth trailing by three. Arizona scratched one run across wen Gibbons singled to second base to score Aguilar.
Austin Rubick then entered for Arizona and pitched a scoreless ninth. Arizona tried to rally in the ninth. Cody Ramer produced a single up the middle and took second on fielder's indifference. Aguilar then singled up the middle to plate Ramer and make it 6-5. But Rivas struck out swinging to end the game.
Ramer finished 3 for 4 in the loss with a run scored. Aguilar was 2 for 5 with a run scored and an RBI. Gibbons was 2 for 4 with two RBI and a run scored.
The Wildcats and Highlanders will wrap up their two-game series Wednesday at 1 p.m. Arizona has yet to announce its starting pitcher.
