TUCSON, Ariz. - The University of Arizona baseball team rallied in the bottom of the ninth, scoring three runs and loading the bases with the tying run in scoring position; but, they came up just short, as they fell to Texas Tech 12-10.

The Wildcats (8-15, 2-4) had another impressive performance at the plate, matching their season-high hit total set on Saturday with 17 in the game. Arizona had eight different players record a hit and six players collect two or more hits apiece. Texas Tech (15-8, 4-2) had 15 hits and seven walks.

Texas Tech pitcher Jonny Lowe earned the win on the mound while Benton Hickman was charged with the loss.

Nate Novitske led the charge offensively for the Wildcats, recording a game-high four hits in six at-bats. The redshirt freshman had a home run, scored two runs, and had one RBI in the game.

Beau Sylvester matched a career-high with three hits, going 3-5 with a run scored. Jackson Forbes and Tony Lira each delivered tremendous performances, with Forbes going 2-4 with a solo home run and a double, collecting four RBI. Lira was 2-4 with a two-run shot, two runs scored, and three total RBI. 

Andrew Cain reached base three times, going 2-4 with a walk and a run scored. Caleb Danzeisen was the sixth Wildcat to have multiple hits, as he was 2-6 at the plate. 

Matthew Martinez had an impressive outing in relief for Arizona, tossing the final 2.2 innings and allowing no runs and no hits, while striking out four. 

After the Red Raiders went scoreless in their first at-bat, Novitske led off with a double. Two batters later, Lira crushed a home run over the wall in center field, giving Arizona a 2-0 lead. 

Texas Tech responded with five runs in the top of the second inning.

Arizona's offense came alive again in the bottom of the third, with Danzeisen igniting the charge by doubling to lead off the inning. Lira then singled to center field and advanced to second on a throwing error, placing two runners in scoring position with no outs. Maddox Mihalakis ripped a single to left-center field to score both runners. Two batters later, Sylvester singled to move Mihalakis to third. Forbes then laid down a beautiful sacrifice bunt to plate Mihalakis and tie the game at 5-5. 

Both squads went scoreless until the sixth frame, when Texas Tech scored a run in the top half of the inning to retake the lead. 

In the bottom of the sixth, Forbes led off by swinging at the first pitch he saw and blasting a home run to right field. After back-to-back outs, Novitske launched another solo shot to right field, as the Wildcats took a 7-6 advantage.

The Red Raiders answered by scoring six runs in the top of the seventh to build a 12-7 lead.

Arizona entered the bottom of the ninth still facing a five-run deficit. Cain led off with a single back up the middle, and Sylvester followed with a double to left field. Forbes then laced a double of his own down the right field line to score both runners. After a strikeout, Roman Meyers entered the game as a pinch hitter and was hit by a pitch. Novitske then singled to center field, loading the bases with one out. A strikeout took Arizona down to its final out, with Lira coming up to bat. The redshirt freshman dug in and drew a walk to score a run. Unfortunately, a flyout to right-center field ended the comeback attempt, leaving the tying run stranded as Arizona fell, 12-10.

Arizona will return to Hi Corbett Field on Tuesday to host Grand Canyon at 6:00 p.m.