Toward the end of the No. 7 Arizona baseball team’s game last night, it appeared that the Wildcats’ four-game win streak was coming to an end as they trailed UC Davis by a run. Junior Robert Refsnyder started Arizona’s comeback, however, and the UA continued its winning ways with a 6-4 victory.

Refsnyder led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a single, his only hit of the game, sparking a three-run rally that gave the Wildcats the win and their second straight sweep.

“I’m confident in that situation, I’ve done it many times,” Refsnyder said. “I was fortunate enough to get a hit though.”

UC Davis took a 4-3 lead in the top of the eighth inning, but the Wildcats confidently responded. With Refsnyder on second after a fielding error, the Wildcats loaded the bases and freshman Trent Gilbert proceeded to hit the game-tying RBI single, all before a single out was recorded.

“To be a great team you have to come back in late innings,” head coach Andy Lopez said, “And the guys did a good job doing that today.”

With the score tied and the bases still loaded, junior Bobby Brown reached base on a fielding error, but it was enough to score sophomore Johnny Field for the game-winning run.

“It wasn’t a classic (ball game), it wasn’t exactly clean, but anytime you win a ball game you’re happy,” Lopez said.

Freshman pitcher Mathew Troupe closed out the ninth inning with back-to-back strikeouts, securing the Wildcats victory and earning his first career victory.

“It’s great to get those close ones, good for moral,” Refsnyder said. “It’s good for Troupe, he’s settling into that closer role. And it’s good for the younger guys, it pumps the team up.”

Junior Vincent Littleman started his first game of the season, and while his effort wasn’t outstanding, three runs in 6.1 innings pitched, he did enough to keep the Wildcats in the back and fourth game.

The score was tied three different times on the afternoon, and the 6-4 final was the first lead of more than a run by either team.
There was one casualty for Arizona though, as its recent stretch of nearly spotless defense came to an end — the Wildcats had just one error in the past four games.

“The elements were a little bit of a factor today and they got the best of us on (two errors),” Lopez said.

Despite the three errors in the afternoon, Lopez thought the defense played well, with the lone exception of a wild throw by Gilbert in the seventh inning.

“(The error) was a little bit of carelessness on Gilbert’s part, I’m sure he’ll never do that again,” Lopez said.

The win completed the two-game sweep for Arizona after they beat UC Davis 6-0 Tuesday.

“We’re playing really good baseball right now, (and) it’s very encouraging for the older guys,” Refsnyder said.