Back-to-back errors in the bottom of the eighth inning erased a late rally yesterday as the Arizona baseball team dropped its first conference series of the year with a 5-3 loss to Washington State.
No. 12 Arizona (31-9, 9-3 Pacific 10 Conference) now sits in third place in the Pacific 10 Conference behind UCLA (8-1) and ASU (10-2). Both schools played nonconference squads this weekend.
UA head coach Andy Lopez could not be reached for comment last night.
After tying the game at three in the top half of the eighth, UA third baseman Erik Castro threw away Cougar third baseman Paul Gran’s infield single. Gran wound up on third, and the error allowed catcher Greg Lagreid to score from second as Washington State took a 4-3 lead.
A batter later, UA shortstop Robert Abel misplayed second baseman Jeff Miller’s grounder, and Gran scored to make it 5-3.
The runs nullified a three-run comeback the Wildcats made from the sixth inning on, capped by center fielder T.J. Steele’s single to left that scored first baseman C.J. Ziegler in the eighth.
Ziegler had homered earlier in the game – his team-leading ninth shot – to start the rally, but up until the sixth, Washington State pitchers were mowing through the Wildcat lineup.
Left-handed pitcher Jayson Miller went 5 2/3 innings, giving up two runs on five hits, before righty Jeremy Johnson took over to get the final out in the sixth.
Ross Humes (3-1) pitched the final 1 1/3 innings for the Cougars (19-18, 3-9 Pac-10) to pick up the win.
UA lefty David Coulon (3-2), who gave up one hit in three innings, was charged with the loss after giving up an unearned run in the eighth.
A three-run Cougar fourth inning off Wildcat starter Brad Mills sparked a 4-3 WSU win on Saturday.
After Mills gave up a homer to WSU designated hitter Mike Gilbert, Arizona scored a run in the eighth and the ninth, but the rally came up short.
Mills (8-3) pitched seven innings, striking out seven and giving up all four runs in the loss.
Preston Guilmet (8-0) continued his season dominance in Friday’s 3-1 win, striking out 12.
The sophomore, who had gone nine innings in his past four outings, allowed seven hits over eight innings before making way for freshman Jason Stoffel, who earned his third career save by striking out the side in the ninth.
Designated hitter Bill Rhinehart, who missed Arizona’s series with Stanford a week earlier with a concussion, hit his sixth homer of the year, a two-run shot in the seventh.
Steele followed with a home run of his own, his fourth of the season, to left field.
Extra bases
Second baseman Colt Sedbrook hit his first home run of the year Saturday. … Closer Daniel Schlereth (torn cartilage) didn’t make the trip and missed his fourth-straight series. … The Wildcats have equaled or bettered their offensive totals from this weekend, nine runs on 16 hits, in six individual games this season.
