MINNEAPOLIS – The Arizona Wildcats dropped their first game at the Dairy Queen Classic-Pac-12/Big 10 Challenge on Friday night, falling to Minnesota 3-2 in 12 innings at US Bank Stadium.
 
The Gophers tied the game at two in the ninth on a solo home run, and then won the game in the 12^th on a bases loaded walk. The loss came despite a strong start from junior right-handed pitcher Cody Deason, who went seven innings, allowing just one unearned run.
 
Senior Ryan Haug and freshman Donta Williams each had two-hit games in the loss. The action-packed finish came after a slow start to the game.
 
The Cats plated the first run of the game in the fifth inning. Haug drew a one-out walk to put a runner on base. After Williams flew out to left, freshman shortstop Jacob Blas came through with a two-out RBI double down the left field line to score Haug all the way from first.
 
The run-scoring hit marked just the second career hit for Blas and his first RBI and extra-base hit. Blas started his second straight game after getting the call Tuesday against New Mexico State.
 
The Golden Gophers threatened in the bottom half of the inning, drawing back-to-back one-out walks off Deason. But the junior right-hander settled down and got Minnesota's Max Meyer to hit into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning and maintain Arizona's one-run lead.
 
Minnesota tried to get to Deason again in the sixth and got him in a little trouble. With one on and two outs, third-place hitter Terrin Vavra singled to put runners on first and third for cleanup man Toby Hanson. Deason rose to the challenge, getting Hansen to strike out looking on three pitches.
 
Deason got more help from his defense in the seventh inning to work another scoreless frame. First, centerfielder Matt Fraizer came up big with a diving catch in center with one out to keep the bases empty. Deason then issued a two-out walk to Ben Mezzenga, but he was quickly erased by catcher Cesar Salazar when he tried to steal second.
 
In the next inning, the Cats got Deason another run. Cameron Cannon walked with one out and Salazar followed with a single to put two men on with one out for Nick Quintana. Quintana roped a liner to left field that nearly got out, but hit the wall for a double to score Cannon.
 
Minnesota elected to walk Cal Stevenson to load the bases for Haug with two outs. Haug lined a ball down the third base line, but it was caught by third baseman Jordan Kozicky, who quickly tagged third base to double off Salazar and end the threat for the Wildcats.
 
The Gophers then cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the inning. Deason issued a leadoff walk, which ended his day. Freshman left-hander Gil Luna came on and struck out pinch-hitter Eli Wilson for the first out of the inning. Luke Pettersen followed with a bloop single to put two on with one out. The Wildcats went to the bullpen and brought in senior right-hander Tylor Megill to try to escape the jam.
 
Megill got a ground ball from the first batter he faced, Jordan Kozicky, but an error from Cannon allowed him to reach and load the bases. Megill got Vavra to ground out to first base, but a run came in to score and make it 2-1. But Megill got out of it when he got catcher Cole McDevitt to fly out to right field and keep it a one-run game.
 
Arizona went quietly in the top of the ninth, before Minnesota's Micah Coffey homered to center to lead off the bottom of the ninth and tie the game at two. The Gophers got two on with two outs later in the inning and Kozicky singled to left, but Haug threw out the potential game-winning run at home to send the game into extra innings.
 
In the 10^th, Minnesota put two on with one out, and Arizona again went to the bullpen to bring in freshman left-hander Josh Haley. Haley coaxed a double play on his second pitch to get the Cats out of the inning and keep the game going.
 
The Wildcats threatened in the 11^th when Haug doubled with two outs and then moved to third on an infield single from Donta Williams. But a strikeout ended the inning and sent the game to the bottom of the 11^th, where Haley pitched a perfect frame.
 
In the 12^th, Minnesota loaded the bases with no outs. Haley got a ground ball and a force out at home for the first out of the inning. Senior Robby Medel then came on and issued a bases loaded walk to plate the winning run.
 
Arizona continues play Saturday against Illinois. First pitch is set for 2 p.m., Tucson time, 3 p.m., CST.