UA head coach Andy Lopez often says the college baseball season represents a marathon, not a sprint.
Either way, the No. 18 Arizona baseball team continues to run the wrong way, after another series loss over the weekend, extending its losing stride.
Arizona (15-11, 3-6 Pacific 10 Conference) lost two of three at Washington (20-9, 3-2) over the weekend. Mental miscues and defensive errors – a plague that carried a recent six-game losing streak – overtook strong UA pitching again yesterday in a 5-1 loss.
The Wildcats’ third straight conference loss came from the hands of three defensive errors, along with a mental mistake on the base path, eliminating Arizona’s only momentum.
Washington catcher Brett Wilcox picked off pinch runner Hunter Pace on first base when the tying run sat in scoring position in the eighth inning.
Washington starter Jorden Merry (4-0) mauled through Arizona’s cold bats, at one point retiring 16 straight hitters. Throughout the entire series, the Wildcats only managed six runs, after getting shut out 1-0 on Friday’s loss at the Mariners’ Safeco Field.
The Wildcat offense remained in its recent slump against the Huskies. Since starting the season with a combined .329 team batting average, Arizona put together a .155 average in the three games against Washington. Last week in three contests against UCLA, Arizona hit .299.
The defensive woes also continued with five more errors as Arizona lifted its season error total to 49 in 26 games.
“”We just need to get hot, basically,”” said starting pitcher David Coulon. “”Once we get on a role, I think it will continue on with confidence, continue on with our games, practices.””
Coulon (5-2) registered Arizona’s only win with Saturday’s seven-hit, complete-game
shutout performance. Third baseman Dillon Baird’s sacrifice fly in the first inning put Arizona on the board less than 12 hours after Friday’s shutout. C.J. Ziegler continued to pioneer a slumping offense, with a double, a run, an RBI and his team-leading 10th home run of the season.
“”Basically, we’re gonna take it one game at a time, one at-bat at a time, one pitch at a time,”” Coulon said. “”We just need to get in a little groove, so we can get our all-around game back.””
Although cold weather hurt starting pitcher Preston Guilmet in its first series at Athens, Ga., the gloomy and windy 40-degree temperatures had no effect on the team, Coulon said.
Guilmet took part in Arizona’s third one-run loss in five games, with the 1-0 pitchers dual on Friday.
Washington starter Nick Haughian (3-2) held the Wildcats’ bats to two hits, while Guilmet only allowed one run off four hits.
