The Arizona baseball team defeated Michigan State University on Sunday, Feb. 18, in Scottsdale, Arizona. at 6 p.m. They dominated the Spartans by a score of 7-1 in their third game of the MLB Desert Invitational.
Michigan State pitcher Noah Matheny started off the game hot, striking out the first three Wildcat batters that he faced and striking Nik McClaughry out while looking. The Michigan State offense, though, didn’t have much success hitting Pima Community College transfer pitcher Bradon Zastrow, as both teams remained hitless through one inning.
In the second inning, the Wildcats were able to draw a few walks but weren’t able to capitalize as Matheny struck out his fourth Wildcat batter to end the top of the second. The Spartans weren’t able to score in the second inning either, though, as Zastrow stayed solid on the mound.
McClaughry had the first hit of the game, which was a one-out double to left center. Followed by a Chase Davis left field moonshot, the Wildcats took the 2-0 lead over Michigan State. The Spartans, however, responded with some offense. Sam Thompson singled to start the bottom of the inning followed by a double from redshirt junior Greg Ziegler that put men on second and third base. After a sacrifice fly from Bryan Broecker that brought Thompson home, the Spartans trailed the Wildcats 2-1.
In the top of the fourth, Arizona was able to tack on another one after Tyler Casagrande singled to drive in Mason White, making the score 3-1. Michigan State did not respond as Zastrow continues to look strong.
Davis struck again in the fifth, displaying his power with another home run to left field to lead off the inning and make the score 4-1 Arizona. Zastrow threw another scoreless inning heading into the sixth.
Davis continued to be a monster on offense, driving in McClaughry from first with a double that got past the diving Spartan outfielder to make the score 5-1 Arizona in the top of the sixth inning. Davis would make it home from second after an RBI single from Kiko Romero to make it a five-run lead in the ball game. This would cause the second pitching change for Michigan State, bringing Nolan Higgins to the mound to relieve Max Chapman, who didn’t make it a full inning. Higgins was able to get out of the jam to get the Spartans back on offense.
After a solid outing, only allowing 1 run and four hits in 5.1 innings, Zastrow was relieved by right-handed junior Dawson Netz. Netz was brought in with two runners on base. Netz got the cats out of the jam and back on offense for the top of the seventh.
Higgins was in a jam in the top of the seventh, but he was able to get out of it with his first collegiate strikeout, bringing the Spartans back up to the plate. However, the Spartans weren’t able to tally any runs in the bottom of the inning.
Higgins was taken out of the game and replaced by Gavin Sitarz, who had a successful scoreless top of the eighth. The Wildcats also switched pitchers in the eighth, bringing in Chris Barraza for Netz. Barraza had two strikeouts in his three-up, three-down eighth.
The Spartans switched pitchers for the final time, bringing in right-hander Brian Martin to relieve Sitarz. White got his second hit as a Wildcat with a one-out standup triple. White scored after an RBI single from Tommy Splaine making the score 7-1 Arizona.
Barraza finished off the game, allowing no baserunners in the bottom of the ninth to close out the Wildcats’ 7-1 victory.
The Arizona baseball team plays the University of California San Diego on Monday, Feb. 20, at 1 p.m. in Mesa, Arizona. The game against the Tritons at Sloan Park will finish off the 2023 MLB Desert Invitational.
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