LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The Arizona Wildcats (13-5, 1-1) rode four home runs and numerous resilient pitching performances to a 7-3 victory over the UCLA Bruins (11-6, 1-1) on Saturday afternoon.Â
The Arizona win evened the series at a game apiece and sets up a Sunday rubber match at Jackie Robinson Stadium.
The Wildcats belted two pairs of back-to-back home runs on Saturday, accounting for five of Arizona's seven runs.
Jacob Berry and
Kobe Kato gave the Cats a 2-0 lead on consecutive solo shots in the second inning. With a one-run lead and Arizona in search of insurance runs in the top of the ninth,
Ryan Holgate and
Jacob Blas teamed up for a pair of dingers to give the Wildcats breathing room and create the final margin of 7-3.
Starting pitcher
Garrett Irvin worked 4.1 scoreless innings but did not factor into the decision. He allowed just four hits and struck out five on 77 pitches. Freshman
Riley Cooper (1-0), who polished off the seventh inning for Arizona, earned his first collegiate win.
Veteran right-hander
Vince Vannelle worked the final two frames for Arizona and allowed just one hit while locking down his third save of the year.
Arizona WildBATS
- 2B Kobe Kato: 3-for-4, R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, BB
- RF Ryan Holgate: 1-for-4, R, HR, 2 RBI, BB
- DH Jacob Berry: 2-for-4, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB
- SS Jacob Blas: 1-for-3, R, HR, RBI
- CF Donta Williams: 2-for-4, R, 2B, BB
Bullpen Bullies
- RHP Chandler Murphy: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 K
- RHP Dawson Netz: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K
- LHP Riley Cooper: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 K, Win
- RHP Vince Vannelle: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, Save
Number of the Day
- The Arizona pitching staff logged 10 strikeouts on Saturday, giving them their 10th double-digit strikeout performance of the year. They are currently averaging 9.75 strikeouts per nine innings this year.
Tweet of the Day
Up Next
Arizona goes for the series win over UCLA in the rubber match on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. MST.
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