Expect to see a lot more of Matt Baugh.

Making his first career start, the sophomore left-hander struck out five of the first eight Thunderbirds he faced, allowed just four hits in seven innings, and finished his career-best outing with 10 punchouts in leading the Wildcats (18-20, 5-7 Pacific 10 Conference) to an 18-0 nonconference win over Southern Utah (20-15) last night at Sancet Stadium.

“”I was just trying to locate down, and I got the outs when they counted and the strikeouts when they counted,”” said Baugh, who came into the game with 14 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings pitched over seven appearances. “”I just went out there and did what I have to do, and it worked.””

Said junior shortstop Jason Donald: “”He really picked us up tonight.””

The Antioch, Calif., native got a lot of help from his offense, which spotted him a 4-0 lead after three innings before batting around in the bottom of the fourth, plating five more runs on three extra base hits. The Wildcats’ 18 runs amounted to their second best total of the season, having scored 19 against New Mexico Feb. 19.

“”It’s a lot easier to pitch with a 10-run cushion,”” Baugh said. “”You can just go out there and throw strikes and not have to worry about it.””

In that inning, senior second baseman Brad Boyer hit his first home run of the year – a towering two-run shot over the College World Series billboard in right, spilling onto Sixth Street – and Donald followed suit with a two-run bomb of his own to straightaway center field.

Two batters later, freshman first baseman Brad Glenn doubled to the gap in left center to put the Wildcats up 9-0.

“”I think when you play the level of competition that we play in terms of (the Pac-10 Conference) and our nonconference, you’re kind of able to do these kinds of things,”” said Donald, who finished 3-for-6 with three RBIs of his own.

Boyer also finished 3-for-6, knocking in two runs.

The win was the first of his career for Baugh (1-0).

“”Baugh did a marvelous job – my goodness, just a great job,”” Arizona head coach Andy Lopez said. “”We needed help. Tonight, we really needed a big performance … and man, he really stepped up.””

Thunderbird senior right-handed starter Kasey Hubbard (4-4) was charged with the loss.

The Wildcats tacked on another run in the bottom of the sixth when freshman center fielder T.J. Steele grounded out to first with the bases loaded, pushing Glenn across the plate for one of his three RBIs in the game.

Steele finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

Arizona added eight more in the eighth when they broke a school record for hit batsman in a season – Steele’s bases-loaded plunk broke 2002’s record of 69 – drew two bases-loaded walks, had an infield single and got a bases-clearing triple from junior pinch-hitter Stephen Pearson.

Arizona got its first water through the floodgates in the bottom of the first when freshman left fielder David Plante’s single was mishandled by Thunderbirds senior second baseman Trever Dimick, allowing Boyer to score from second.

The Wildcats then added two more in the bottom of the second, when junior catcher Konrad Schmidt continued his recent tear by lining a pitch off the wall in right center, scoring senior designated hitter Derek Decater, and the next batter, Steele, knocked in Schmidt with a single up the middle.

Schmidt finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

The series continues tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Sancet Stadium with Southern Utah’s right-handed senior Larry Ellenbrook (3-4, 6.29 ERA) toeing the rubber. Arizona’s starter has yet to be determined.

Notes

Sophomore third baseman Colt Sedbrook tied Donald’s single-season school record set last season by getting hit by his 19th pitch of the season in the seventh inning. The statistic currently ranks him fourth in the nation. … It was only the second shutout win of the season for the Wildcats. Their first came in a 2-0, 10-inning victory against Norte Dame March 5 at the Dairy Queen Classic in Minneapolis, Minn.