Arizona baseball ended their six game winless streak on Saturday and were looking to add to the win column on Sunday in the finale of their four game series with UConn.
The Wildcats will need to wait a little longer to notch their second season win as things went sideways for the ‘Cats from the start eventually losing 11-2 giving UConn a 3-1 series win.
Arizona is now 1-7 on the season, the worst eight game start in program history.
Senior catcher Beau Sylvester commented on the way the team is staying positive. “It’s realizing we play one game at a time and we can’t do anything about the game that’s past we can only focus on the game ahead. We preach that every day we come out here. We try to go 1-0 every time we come out here. That’s just a mind set and we keep going. There’s two options in life keep going or give up.”
Unusual Pitching Collapse
Pitching was a bright spot in the first seven games to start the season for the Wildcats. That changed on Sunday as the Huskies (3-5) notched 12 hits and 11 earned runs off of five different Wildcat pitchers.
Arizona pitchers hit five UConn batters including Huskies short stop Rob Rispoli who was hit in the head twice.
Arizona Sunday starter Collin McKinney did not get the outing he was hoping for working just two innings.
With three balls and one strike to lead off batter Respoli he threw a high pitch that caught Respoli in the head. After a quick visit from UConn’s trainer he stayed in the game.
McKinney walked Even Menzel, gave up a single to Jackson Marshall that brought Respoli across the plate to give UConn a 1-0 lead with no outs. McKinney recovered to limit the damage by striking out Delena and then getting Thomas to ground into a double play to end the top of the first.
In the top of the second inning, McKinney walked the first batter he faced and then gave up his first home run as a Wildcat to Nater Wachter giving UConn a 3-0 lead.
Freshman Jack Lafflam took over for McKinney in the third inning, but gave up three runs and was replaced by Corey Kling after pitching 1 1/3 innings.
Kling gave up three hits and one run in 2 2/3 innings.
Benton Hickman worked the seventh and eighth inning giving up two hits and one run. He also hit three UConn batters including Respoli’s second hit to the head.
Andrew Jacobs started the ninth inning allowing three runs.
Samuel Round replaced Jacobs with two outs. Rounds walked the first two batters he faced before getting the final out of the game.
Arizona bats starting to connect
Saturday the Wildcats notched six hits in their 5-4 win over UConn.
On Sunday, Arizona batters were able to double up the hits, getting a season high 12 but couldn’t capitalize going 2 for 12 with runners in scoring position and 1 for 7 when runners were on third base.
“We had some decent at-bats along the way, some stuff going on. But it’s tough to stand out there on defense that long.” Arizona coach Chip Hale said.
Too many walks, too many hit batsmen. Just didn’t play very crisp baseball.”
“We’re not playing at a speed that this program is use to seeing.” Hale continued.
We just have to pick it up, guys have to play a little freer and believe in their skills. It’s partly on us as coaches, it’s partly on them. They need to understand that this is big time baseball and you have to play your highest speed you can.”
“Twelve hits will play, twelve hits will play a lot better if they are strung together in a line.” Sylvester added “We are taking better approaches at bat to at bat.”
Tony Lira leads the way
Redshirt freshman Tony Lira went 2 for 4 and hit his first career home run a 452 foot banger to deep center in the fifth inning in Sunday’s loss to UConn.
Lira has a team high .382 batting average.
“Lira is obviously been the guy that’s leading the way and hopefully he continues.” Hale said. “He can’t be the only guy leading the way.”
Up next:
Arizona heads to Las Vegas to play in the Live Like Lou Las Vegas College Baseball Classic formerly the Las Vegas Classic.
They will play Oregon (8-0) on Friday, Feb 27 followed by Vanderbilt (6-2) on the 28 and UC Irvine (5-2) on March 1.
“I’ve got to find an approach that lets these guys play to their potential.” Hale said.
What is performance right? It’s potential minus interference right? So obviously there’s a lot of interference here right now because there is a lot more potential that is coming out of their performance so we have to find a way to get rid of that interference and that’s on us.”
Game Extras:
Arizona junior center fielder Easton Breyfogle dislocated his left shoulder when he and Caleb Danzeisen collided in the outfield during the UConn series opener. Hale said Breyfogle will be out for awhile.
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