With the wind blowing out, Arizona’s hitters took full advantage.
T.J. Steele had the first multi-home run game of his career – including a three-run shot over the batter’s eye in center field – and Brad Glenn had a tape-measure three-run homer of his own as the No. 15 Wildcats (34-11) cruised to a 16-3 win over Liberty (28-21) Saturday night.
“”I didn’t even see it go over the batter’s eye, it’s just one of those things,”” said the center fielder Steele, who finished 5-for-6 with a career-high five RBIs. “”I mean the wind’s blowing out about 20 miles an hour, so that’s going to help out a little bit.””
Steele’s first-inning homer over the batter’s eye – which towers 35 feet above the center field wall, 400 feet away from home plate – was his fifth of the season. He hit his sixth two innings later, a solo blast to left-center field.
“”Well, you’ve got a little bit of a breeze tonight,”” said UA head coach Andy Lopez, “”and that’s not taking anything away from T.J., he hit that right on the screws, but you’ve got a little bit of a breeze, and he got it up in the breeze.””
Glenn’s bomb, his eighth of the year, was crushed to left center, clearing the second fence behind the outfield wall.
“”I just knew when I hit it, it was out,”” said Glenn, who was 3-for-4 with four RBIs.
After a poor showing the past couple of weekends offensively, the Arizona coaching staff stressed the team’s approach at the plate this week in practice. The Wildcats hadn’t scored in double digits in their past seven games prior to Friday’s outburst, which saw them also plate 16.
“”I think maybe in the last couple of weeks – because we were hitting the ball really well, and then all of a sudden, it just kind of wasn’t there,”” Glenn said. “”I think we might have just gotten a little bit relaxed with our work ethic, but the coaches have been on us all week about turning pitches around, (and) it’s starting to show a little bit.””
Added Steele: “”Just hit early in the counts, see that fastball and crush it, that was basically the whole team’s game plan tonight, just see it and hit it.””
Arizona’s Brad Mills (9-4) tied for the team lead in wins after giving up three runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings, and the bullpen, led by Ryan Perry’s two two-hit innings of work, did the rest.
Liberty starter Dustin Umberger (4-4), who gave up nine runs in four innings, took the loss.
Extra bases
Arizona second baseman Colt Sedbrook was 4-for-6 with three RBIs. … UA righty Jason Stoffel pitched the ninth, striking out three of the four batters he faced.
