HOUSTON, Texas – The Arizona Wildcats (5-0) rolled past the Rice Owls (2-3) on a final score of 16-5 to earn a win in their first road contest of the season on Wednesday night at Reckling Park.
 
The Wildcats scored once in each of the first three innings to build a three-run cushion before pulling away with two runs in the fifth, three in the sixth, three more in the seventh, and five in the top of the eighth. With five games in the books, Arizona has now posted 85 runs and a .387 batting average.
 
Arizona once again relied on their potent offense to remain in the win column – the club hammered out 17 hits and drew 11 walks while taking advantage of eight Rice errors to post their fifth consecutive double-digit run output. Shortstop Cameron Cannon led the charge with a 4-for-5 night that included his seventh double of the year, three runs scored, one RBI, and one walk.
 
Joining Cannon with multiple hits was designated hitter Ryan Holgate (2x4, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB), third baseman Nick Quintana (2x4, 3 R, 2B, BB), first baseman Austin Wells (3x6, 2 R, 2B, 3 RBI), and catcher Matthew Dyer (2x2, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB). Left fielder Donta Williams drove in two runs on his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to right field in the top of the fifth inning.
 
Senior southpaw Avery Weems (1-0) made his first start of the season for the Wildcats, going 5.0 innings and allowing just two runs to earn the win. Weems struck out four and scattered four hits.
 
Arizona notched relief efforts from Vince Vanelle (0.0 IP), George Arias Jr. (2.0 IP), Zach Sherman (1.0 IP), and Randy Abshier (1.0 IP). Arias allowed just one unearned run and strick out two Owls batters across his two innings of work.
 
The Wildcats move across town to begin a three game series against Houston on Friday, Feb. 22 – first pitch is scheduled for 5:30 PM MST.