STANFORD, Calif. – A gem from starting pitcher Randy Labaut and big nights at the plate from Nick Quintana and Justin Wylie helped push the Arizona Wildcats (19-20, 7-12) to a 6-4 series-opening victory over the No. 3 ranked Stanford Cardinal (29-7, 13-3) on Friday night at Sunken Diamond.
 
Labaut was brilliant for the Cats, working 6.1 innings and limiting the Cardinal to just three runs on five hits. In his third-longest outing of the season, Labaut fanned four Stanford batters and issued no walks while earning the win, his fourth of the year.
 
Quintana, playing third base, went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run that landed in the trees beyond the left field wall in the top of the fifth inning. He now has 30 career home runs with the Wildcats, tied for the 10^th most in program history. With his 10th dinger of the year Quintana became the first Arizona player since 2008 to post back-to-back 10+ home run campaigns.
 
Second baseman Wylie finished the night 1-for-2 with three RBI on a sacrifice fly and a two-run single in the top of the eighth that provided the Cats with a pair of crucial insurance runs down the stretch.
 
Quintana and Wylie combined to drive in five of the Wildcats six runs on the night.
 
Catcher Matthew Dyer was one of four Arizona batters with multiple hits in the game – his 2-for-5 performance extended his hit streak to 16 games, making it the second-longest hit streak since Jay Johnson took over as the Wildcats head coach. Designated hitter Dayton Dooney (2x4, 2 R), shortstop Cameron Cannon (2x4, R), and left fielder Branden Boissiere (2x3, R, 2B, RBI, BB) all logged a pair of base knocks.
 
Backing up Labaut from the bullpen was Vince Vannelle (0.1 IP), Avery Weems (0.1 IP), and Quinn Flanagan (2.0 IP), who slammed the door on the Cardinal. The trio of Vannelle, Weems, and Flanagan held Stanford off the board while allowing just two hits. Flanagan worked the final two frames, striking out a pair and earning his first collegiate save.
 
The Wildcats will go for the series victory over the Cardinal in game two on Saturday night at Sunken Diamond. First pitch is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. MST.