Despite starting pitcher Cody Deason struggling on the mound, the Arizona Wildcats baseball team shut out Bryant University on Saturday, Feb. 17 to start their season 1-0.
The season opener was supposed to be on Friday night, but mother nature had other plans. Rain continued to drizzle down on Hi Corbett Field all Friday afternoon, and eventually the game was cancelled and rescheduled for the next day. The change may have affected Deason, who gave up two hits and a walk in the first inning and might not have been as comfortable as he had hoped for early on.
“I’ve always been a competitor. I’m not going to let a run score easy you know. Doesn’t matter if it’s a 3-0 count, I’m going to come and fight my way back,” Deason said.
With both pitchers struggling to get strikeouts and other easy outs, it was up to the position players to make plays. Throughout the game, both teams made tough catches and solid plays to keep the game tied. Deason was at the forefront of keeping the game scoreless.
“I would say it was adrenaline. Just trying to get the first one [start] underneath my belt and I’m glad the way it turned out,” Deason said about the way he finished the game.
It wasn’t until the fifth inning when Arizona had Nick Quintana on second base with two outs that they were finally able to get a run across. Cameron Cannon singled to center field and Quintana hustled home to beat the throw to get the first run of the season for the Wildcats.
Until the bottom of the eighth, both teams were able to keep each other off the board. That’s when it started to unravel for the Bulldogs. With the bases loaded and one out, Cal Stevenson dropped a floater into left field to score a run for the ‘Cats. Alfonso Rivas then singled to center to score two more and the ‘Cats were quickly up 4-0.
Tylor Megill came in and was able to get the save for Arizona and secure its win of the season. Deason pitched seven scoreless innings of work and gave up three hits, five walks and had three strikeouts.
Arizona finishes the double header tonight against Bryant and will play one more Sunday at 12 p.m.
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