Jett Bandy broke out of his hitting slump with a 2-run single in the seventh and starting pitcher Tyler Hale went 6.2 innings on Sunday to lead the Arizona baseball team to a sweep over Utah Valley.

Hale gave up three runs while throwing 40 pitches in the first inning, and the Arizona bullpen was warming up before he even recorded an out. But Hale battled his way to a no-decision while scattering six hits over the afternoon.

“”I came out and for some reason I didn’t have the intensity I should have had,”” Hale said. “”It obviously took me a while to get going. I don’t know what the problem was, but I found it later on. It took 60 pitches before I felt like I usually do. I should have probably spent some more time in the bullpen before the game.””

Hale said that he didn’t feel like his legs were under him while he was warming up, and he has to use the slow start as a learning experience.

The game was tied at three when Hale left the mound, and Matt Chaffee came on to record the last out of the seventh. Then Bandy came up with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom half of the inning and laced a single up the middle to snap his 1-for-19 slump with runners in scoring position.

“”It felt good to come through,”” Bandy said. “”I go up there not trying to do too much and not trying to put too much stress on myself. Coach (Andy) Lopez came over and talked to me and calmed me down a little.””

Utah Valley (3-7) starter Kyle Beecher went five innings, including sitting the first eight Wildcats down in order, giving up three runs — two of which came on a Cole Frenzel RBI single in the fifth inning which tied the game at three.

“”We got some clutch hits at the end,”” Lopez said. “”We needed those and the guys clutched up. We did a great job with a lot of two-out hits. Bandy got a big hit, which was good. All-in-all, it’s always good to teach off of a win.””

Weekend notes

• Sophomore pitcher Nick Cunningham made his first appearance in 2011 after leading the team with 35 appearances in 2010, picking up the save in Saturday’s 6-3 win. Cunningham picked up the final five outs of the game, including a perfect ninth. The sophomore is expected to be Arizona’s set-up man, getting the ball to closer Bryce Bandilla.
• Although he’s slumping, Bandy picked up at least two RBIs in both Saturday and Sunday’s games. The junior was just 2-for-13 in the series, but both hits were in clutch situations with runners in scoring position.
• Even though last year’s Friday starter Kurt Heyer was tabbed as a Louisville Slugger/TPX preseason All-American, Lopez said that Kyle Simon is pushing him for the Friday spot this year. Simon got the win on Saturday, going 7.1 innings, giving up 3 runs while striking out 6.