Arizona took game three over Southeastern Louisiana 4-3 thanks to a four-run seventh-inning rally to win its first series of the 2021 season.
The Wildcats (5-2) split their opening series with Ball State last week and have won the first three meetings of this series against Southeastern Louisiana (3-3).
The teams play the series finale Sunday at 10 a.m. at Hi Corbett Field.
Donta’ Williams began the seventh inning for Arizona with a walk followed by a single and another walk by Jacob Blas and Ryan Holgate, respectively.
With the bases loaded and no outs, Blake Paugh came through in the clutch with a two-run double to cut the Lions’ lead to 3-2.
Branden Boissiere had an RBI single and Jacob Berry followed with a run-scoring double to put Arizona ahead 4-3.
Southeastern Louisiana shut down the Wildcats’ offense through six strong innings pitched by righthander Will Warren. He allowed six hits and four walks and he struck out four.
Southeastern Louisiana scored one run in the first and two in the fourth.
Even though Arizona kept having errors, the Lions couldn’t bring those runs in. The Wildcats had a total of three errors in the ball game.
Trevor Long, who struck out three batters in 1 1/3 innings of relief, picked up the victory.
4-3 Cats! #no⏰#1runready pic.twitter.com/W5b5WV4qkA
— Jay Johnson (@UACoachJ) February 27, 2021
Hear from @UACoachJ after the Cats comeback win this afternoon! #MLBTrainingGround | #BearDown pic.twitter.com/IQsMzAve5y
— Arizona Baseball (@ArizonaBaseball) February 27, 2021
When Brock Batty came in to replace Warren after the sixth, Batty faced the top half of the Arizona lineup, which finally showed some life in the four-run rally.
Quinn Flanagan came in to finish the job, striking out four in two innings to earn his first save.
The series concludes with Southeastern Louisiana right-hander Grant Upton (1-0, 0.00 ERA) starting against Arizona freshman right-hander TJ Nichols (1-0, 3.60).
Click here for Saturday’s box score.
FOLLOW LUIS AGUIRRE JR. ON TWITTER!
Luis Aguirre Jr. is a University of Arizona communications major with the aspiration of being a baseball broadcaster. He was part of the first senior class at Rio Rico High School in 2016 to make the state playoffs all four years of a career with the Hawks. He was an infielder who played for former Arizona standout Moises Duran at Rio Rico. He continues to play semi-professionally in Nogales, Son., in the summer while attending Arizona.
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