After starting off the season 3-1, Arizona’s baseball team headed to San Diego to participate in the Tony Gwynn Legacy tournament. Here’s how they fared this past weekend.
Friday, vs. Southern Illinois
Coming off his Pac-12 Player of the Week performance, Austin Wells followed up with another big performance, going 3-4 with a home run and two runs scored. His solo homer started the Wildcats comeback, as they overcame a 5-1 deficit to win the opening game of the weekend 6-5.
After Wells’ home run, Mac Bingham followed up with a home run of his own, racking up three hits on the afternoon as well. The Wildcats then scored three runs in the fifth inning, as Jacob Blas stole home in what ended up being the winning run of the ballgame.
Garrett Irvin started the afternoon throwing five innings while allowing five runs on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts. It was the third inning that got to Irvin, as he allowed all five runs. But he bounced back, shutting out the Salukis in the fourth and fifth innings before finishing his second outing, which saw him earn his second win of the year.
Vince Vannelle and Gil Luna each pitched two innings out of the bullpen, combining for four perfect innings with eight strikeouts.
Saturday, vs. Iowa
The Wildcats fell behind 4-0 through three innings and failed to muster a comeback as they lost 4-1 against the Hawkeyes, dropping their second game of the season.
Quinn Flanagan started the afternoon, going 4.2 innings allowing four runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
After a strong first inning, Flanagan allowed a double and home run to begin the second inning before giving up two more runs in the third inning. The bullpen put together its second consecutive shutout as Ian Churchill, Preston Price, Randy Abshier and Dawson Netz combined for 3.1 innings, allowing just three hits with seven strikeouts.
The Arizona offense struggled against Iowa starter Grant Judkins, as they saw just two runners reach second base and nobody reach third base through the first six innings of the afternoon. It was once they got to the bullpen when they began to put together a comeback, as they loaded the bases with one out in the seventh inning. However, only one runner reached home plate when Bingham hit a ground ball to second base that scored Ryan Holgate. That was all the Wildcats offense was able to put together with just four hits against Iowa’s pitchers on the day.
Sunday, vs. Nebraska
Blake Paugh was all the offense Arizona needed Sunday afternoon after the pair of home runs from the junior outfielder. Plaugh’s first multi-homer game led the Wildcats to a 3-2 win over Nebraska and winning 2-of-3 games at the Tony Gwynn Legacy tournament.
Chandler Murphy picked up his second win of the season, going 5.1 innings allowing one (unearned) run on two hits with zero walks and seven strikeouts. Blake Peyton entered the game in the sixth inning, allowing one run on one hit over 1.2 innings with one walk and two strikeouts before Vannelle closed the game with two perfect innings.
What’s next:
The Wildcats return home for games against Central Michigan on Wednesday at 6 p.m. and Friday at 6 p.m.
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