Despite a valiant effort by starter Rio Gomez, Arizona
baseball dropped their first game of the season Sunday afternoon, falling
to the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers 1-0 in Frisco, Texas. Even with the loss, the Wildcats (10-1) are
off to their best start since 1999 when they won 13 straight to begin the
season.

Gomez went seven strong innings allowing no earned runs on
seven hits with five strikeouts. The junior left-hander has emerged as a solid
No. 2 starter behind ace J.C. Cloney.

Gomez isn’t too far behind as he has accumulated a 1.56 ERA
with 16 strikeouts through his first three starts. The lone run of the game
came in the first inning when Nebraska centerfielder Luis Alvarado singled in
Mojo Hagge, who singled to lead off the game then moved to third on an errant
pickoff attempt by Gomez.

The Cornhuskers countered with a left-hander of their own in
Jake Meyers, who went 5.1 innings allowing no runs on six hits while also
hitting third in the order. Meyers, who improved to 1-1 with a 4.32 ERA, gave
way to right-hander Chad Luensmann, who went four scoreless innings while
surrendering only two hits.

The Wildcats out-hit Nebraska eight to seven but were
unable to record the key hit in a clutch spot. Arizona was led offensively by
Mitchell Morimoto and J.J. Matijevic, who each went 2-4. Kyle Lewis went
2-2. The Wildcats had an excellent opportunity in the seventh when they had runners on
second and first with one out but were unable to come away with a run.

In the ninth, Alfonso Rivas singled with one out and stole
second with two away. Casey Bowman came in to pinch hit with a chance to tie
the game but grounded out.

This was the first time the Wildcats have been shut out this
season as they were averaging 10.3 runs a game coming in to Sunday. Arizona still
left the tournament with a 2-1 record after defeating Arkansas 3-0 on Friday
and No. 22 Oklahoma State 10-9 on Saturday in walk-off fashion.

The Wildcats will now head to Lubbock, Texas, to take on
Texas Tech on Tuesday, March 7, at 5:30 p.m. MST.

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