After dropping the opening game of Saturday’s doubleheader, Arizona responded in the second game behind Luc Fladda’s strong seven innings on the mound at Fort Worth, Texas.
Caleb Danzeisen drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth to lift the Wildcats to a 3-2 victory over TCU and clinch the series.
Arizona (13-22, 5-10 Big 12) took two of three games from TCU (21-14, 8-7) and achieved its first conference series win this season.
Game 1
Arizona had a difficult start to the day, falling 5-0 to TCU and forcing a decisive rubber match in the second game of the doubleheader.
The Horned Frogs jumped out to an early lead after launching a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning.
The Wildcats threatened in the third, as Mathis Meurant opened the frame with a leadoff double. Two batters later, Danzeisen singled to right field to put runners on the corners; however, a double play ended the inning.
TCU extended its lead in the fourth with a two-run shot to right field, as they took a 3-0 advantage. The Horned Frogs tacked on two more runs in the fifth frame, pushing the lead up to 5-0.
Arizona was unable to respond, and they went on to fall, setting up a Saturday night showdown for the series.
Game 2
Arizona’s bats started off hot in the second contest of the day, as Tony Lira had the first hit of the day in the top of the first, singling to right field with one out. After a flyout, Maddox Mihalakis singled to put two on. Beau Sylvester then came through with another single; but, Lira was thrown out at home to end the at-bat.
TCU struck in the bottom half of the frame with a solo home run to take a 1-0 lead, then added another run in the second to extend the advantage to 2-0.
Fladda settled in from there, retiring 12 of 14 batters he faced across the next five innings to keep Arizona within striking distance. The left-hander turned in an exceptional outing, allowing just two runs on five hits across seven innings while striking out five and issuing no walks
The Wildcats were unable to score throughout the first seven innings, and they entered the eighth frame still trailing 2-0.
Cash Brennan opened the eighth inning with a leadoff walk, and two batters later Meurant singled to center field, marking his fourth hit of the series. Nate Novitske then crushed a single back up the middle, scoring Brennan. Lira was up next, and the redshirt freshman jumped on the first pitch he saw and singled to center field to plate Meurant and tie the game at 2.
Collin McKinney entered the game to pitch in the bottom half of the inning and retired the side to send the game to the ninth with the score tied.
Sylvester worked a leadoff walk in the ninth and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Jackson Forbes. After a groundout pushed Forbes to third, Danzeisen stepped in as a pinch hitter with two outs.
The true freshman jumped on the first pitch he saw and ripping it back up the middle for a go-ahead RBI single that proved to be the game-winning hit.
Garrett Hicks, formerly of Pima College, came in to close and retired the side in the bottom of the ninth to secure the victory and collect his second save of the weekend and fifth of the season.
With the win, Arizona secured a road series victory over the Horned Frogs and will aim to carry that momentum into a Monday non-conference matchup against Arizona State in Phoenix at 6:35 p.m.
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