The Arizona baseball team stayed hot as the Wildcats picked up their sixth straight win after defeating the University of New Mexico 11-8 on Tuesday, April 25, at Hi Corbett Field in Tucson at 6 p.m. Arizona now holds a record of 23-15 (9-12 in Pac-12 play).
“People are trusting the process and sticking to their approach,” Arizona center fielder Mac Bingham said.
After a smooth first inning by Wildcat starting pitcher Cam Walty, Bingham led off the bottom half of the inning with a single and scored soon after following an RBI single by Chase Davis. Kiko Romero then ripped an RBI triple off the left-field wall to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead. The Wildcats were not done scoring, as Romero scored the team’s third run of the inning following an Emilio Corona sacrifice fly to give Arizona a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
“Our coaches do a really good job of letting each hitter be who they are,” Bingham said.
New Mexico would respond with a solo home run in the second to cut into the Wildcat lead. However, it didn’t take the Wildcats long to counter the attack, as they put up 6 runs in the second inning, taking a 9-1 lead into the third. The Wildcats hit the ball very well in the inning, collecting seven hits.
New Mexico seemed unfazed by the strong inning by the Wildcats. They scored 6 runs in the top of the third to cut into their deficit, as they went from trailing by 8 runs to only 2 runs. The Wildcats failed to score in the bottom half of the inning, but they still led 9-7.
In the fifth inning, New Mexico launched another solo home run, marking their seventh unanswered run as they trailed Arizona 9-8. After going quiet for three straight innings, the Wildcat offense showed some life in the sixth, as Cameron LaLiberte opened the bottom of the sixth with a double. LaLiberte was driven in two batters later by Nik McClaughry, as the Wildcats extended their lead to 10-8 entering the seventh inning.
Mason White opened the eighth inning with a double down the left field line. Tony Bullard then followed White’s double with an RBI single to give the Wildcats an 11-8 lead. Chris Barraza fended off a late rally by New Mexico to pick up his first save of the season, as the Wildcats defeated New Mexico 11-8.
“So, you know, obviously [at] 9-1 we were feeling pretty good about ourselves, then they come right back,” Arizona head coach Chip Hale said. “Those were some impressive innings by the bullpen, we need them to pitch under pressure.”
Looking Ahead:
The Wildcats now turn their focus to No. 22 Oregon State University as they travel to Corvallis, Oregon, to play the Beavers in a three-game series starting on Friday, April 28 at 7 p.m.
“It’s gonna be a different atmosphere for our guys,” Hale said. “They really pack that place.”
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