TUCSON, Ariz. – Utah completed a three-game sweep of the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday evening, topping the Cats 4-2 in front of 3,732 fans at Hi Corbett Field.
Left-hander Josh Lapiana threw a complete game for the Utes, giving up two runs on six hits, while striking out six and improving his record to 3-4.
Rio Gomez took the loss for Arizona, giving up three runs in 1/3 of an inning.
The loss dropped Arizona to 26-12 and 9-9 in Pac-12 play. Utah got to the .500 mark, and is now 17-17 on the season and 8-10 in the league.
The Utes jumped on Gomez in the first to grab an early 3-0 lead. With two on and no outs, Dallas Carroll doubled to plate a run and make it 1-0. The next batter, Hunter Simmons, singled to score two more and make it 3-0. After a sacrifice bunt, Gomez exited in favor of
Michael Flynn, who came on to get out of the inning with no further damage.
Flynn gave up a run in the second, but then put up zeroes in the third, fourth and fifth innings to keep the game 4-0 and give his offense a chance. Flynn went 4 2/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits, while walking one and striking out three in 72 pitches.
Robby Medel came on in the sixth to relieve Flynn and recorded a quick 1-2-3 inning. The Cats then got on the board in the bottom of the sixth.
Mitchell Morimoto singled with one out and
Jared Oliva followed with a single of his own to put runners on the corners with one out.
JJ Matijevic lifted a sacrifice fly to left to score Morimoto and make it 4-1.
Medel again pitched a perfect seventh. Combined, Flynn and Medel retired 13 straight batters from the third to the seventh innings to continue to give the Wildcats a chance. But Lapiana stifled the Cats, allowing just one runner to reach past second base in the seventh and eighth innings.
Medel tossed zeroes in the eighth and ninth to give the Cats one final chance in the bottom of the ninth. Nick Quintana walked with one out and was brought home on a two-out double from
Cory Voss to make it 4-2. But
Ryan Haug flied out to end the game and hand the Cats the loss.
Medel ended up going four scoreless innings, giving up three hits, walking two and striking out three in 59 pitches. Alfonso Rivas and Voss each had two hits to lead Arizona offensively.
The Cats will look to rebound from the weekend Tuesday when they host New Mexico State in a midweek game.
