In their third and final game in the State Farm College Baseball Showdown, the Arizona baseball team faced their first ranked team in No. 14 Texas Tech. Sophomore Dawson Netz got the start for Arizona in this matchup.
The first four innings were a pitchers duel as each team was only able to record one hit. Outfielder Chase Davis was able to get on base for Arizona with a leadoff single in the second inning, but the batters behind him were not able to get him across the plate.
Texas Tech starter Mason Molina was able to keep the Arizona offense off the scoreboard until the fifth inning. Garen Caulfield, who got the start at third base, led the inning off with a double. The next hitter in the lineup, Nik McClaughry, was able to come through with an RBI double to give Arizona a 1-0 lead.
In response Texas Tech decide to go to their bullpen, which did not stop the Wildcat offense. Catcher Daniel Susac was able to single back up the middle allowing McClaughry to score from second base, extending their lead. Right fielder Tanner O’Tremba followed up Susac’s single with a double, getting him across the plate and pushing the lead to 3-0. Before the inning was over Davis hit a 2-run home run, expanding Arizona’s lead to 5-0.
Netz would find himself in a jam in the bottom of the fifth inning as Texas Tech had two runners on with two outs after surrendering a single and a walk, but Netz was able to force a groundball back to him and gun down the last out at third base.
To open the bottom of the sixth inning, Arizona made the move to the bullpen, bringing in George Arias Jr. and ending Netz’s day. He finished with a stat line of five shutout innings pitched, recording six strikeouts and allowing three hits.
RELATED: Arizona baseball team uses pair of huge innings to blowout Oklahoma
Arias began the inning by loading the basses after allowing a single and two walks to the first three batters. Texas Tech was able to get on the board after Ryan Brome scored on a fielder’s choice and Owen Washburn scored on a single to make the score 5-2.
The Wildcats would also score 2 runs in the seventh inning, but they really broke this game open in the top of the eighth inning. Davis singled to score a run, followed by a bases clearing double hit by Noah Turley to give Arizona a 10-2 lead. The Wildcats were still not done as they pushed across 3 more runs in the top of the ninth inning to go up 13-2.
Arizona would be able to close out the ninth inning to gain the 13-2 win over Texas Tech and now sit at 3-0 on the season. The Wildcats will be back in action on Tuesday at Hi Corbett Field against Grand Canyon at 6 p.m. MST.
Follow CJ Lala on Twitter