From Arizona Athletics
Nick Quintana hit two home runs and Arizona hit four as a team Tuesday night in a 20-6 win over Grand Canyon at Hi Corbett Field.
The Cats scored in five of eight innings and scored nine runs in the eighth inning to put the game away en route to scoring a season-high in runs. Arizona improved to 29-17 on the season, while Grand Canyon dropped to 27-21. The Wildcats have now won six in a row and topped Grand Canyon in both matchups this season.
The Antelopes, however, struck first Tuesday, plating a run off starter Zach Stone in the first inning. Cleanup hitter Zach Malis, who played his high school baseball in Tucson, singled up the middle with two outs to score leadoff man Quin Cotton and make it 1-0.
But Arizona didn’t waste any time responding and grabbing the lead right back. Cal Stevenson led the inning off with a walk and Cameron Cannon followed with a one-out walk of his own to put two on for catcher Cesar Salazar. Salazar went the opposite way and singled through the left side to plate Stevenson and knot the game at one. It didn’t stay tied long, however.
Quintana hammered a 1-1 pitch from Grand Canyon starter Drew Zmuda over the wall in left field for a three-run home run to make it 4-1. It was Quintana’s 10th long ball of the season and third this season against the Lopes, and he wasn’t done.
Grand Canyon answered back in the second with a pair of runs to cut it to 4-3, but Arizona again extended the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Stevenson singled with one out and Alfonso Rivas followed with a walk to put two on with one out for Cannon.
Cannon followed Quintana’s lead and hit a three-run home run of his own that drilled the left field foul pole to make it 7-3. It was Cannon’s seventh home run of the season.
Neither team scored in the third, but the Antelopes again came back in the fourth, scoring three runs and closing it to a one-run game at 7-6. Grand Canyon scored two of their runs in the inning on a wild pitch and a throwing error. Cotton provided the other run on an RBI single.
That was as close as Grand Canyon would get, however.
The Cats made it 8-6 in the bottom half of the inning when Salazar singled home Stevenson. Preston Price, who earned the win, tossed a scoreless fifth, and Arizona added three more runs in the home half of the inning. Rivas plated a run on an RBI groundout, and Donta Williams scored on a wild pitch and Stevenson scored on an error by Malis.
Tylor Megill tossed zeroes in the sixth and seventh innings for the Wildcats, and after Jonathan Guardado tossed a scoreless eighth, Arizona blew things wide open with a nine-run eighth inning.
Salazar started the inning with a walk and scored one batter later when Quintana homered again to left field for his 11th of the season. His home run gave him the most by a Wildcat since Bobby Dalbec slugged 15 in 2015.
Tate Soderstrom followed with a walk, and Williams followed with a double to put two men in scoring position. Matt Fraizer brought home pinch-runner Blake Paugh and Seve Romo scored Williams when he reached on an error. Stevenson reached on an error himself and moved to third on a single from Rivas.
Cannon brought home a run on an infield single and then Salazar hit a three-run home run to right to finish off the scoring. It was Salazar’s first home run of the season and gave him a career-high five RBI on the night. The junior catcher finished 3 for 5 with five RBI and three runs scored, lifting his season average to .344
Quintana was 2 for 5 with five RBI and two runs scored and Cannon was 2 for 4 with four RBI and three runs scored. Stevenson reached base six times and was 1 for 2 with five runs scored at the top of the lineup.
Price, Megill, Guardado and Gil Luna combined to throw 5 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen for Arizona.
Arizona will return to action Friday night at California. The Cats and Bears will play a three-game series in Berkeley. Friday’s first pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.
Nick Quintana hit two home runs and Arizona hit four as a team Tuesday night in a 20-6 win over Grand Canyon at Hi Corbett Field.
The Cats scored in five of eight innings and scored nine runs in the eighth inning to put the game away en route to scoring a season-high in runs. Arizona improved to 29-17 on the season, while Grand Canyon dropped to 27-21. The Wildcats have now won six in a row and topped Grand Canyon in both matchups this season.
The Antelopes, however, struck first Tuesday, plating a run off starter Zach Stone in the first inning. Cleanup hitter Zach Malis, who played his high school baseball in Tucson, singled up the middle with two outs to score leadoff man Quin Cotton and make it 1-0.
But Arizona didn’t waste any time responding and grabbing the lead right back. Cal Stevenson led the inning off with a walk and Cameron Cannon followed with a one-out walk of his own to put two on for catcher Cesar Salazar. Salazar went the opposite way and singled through the left side to plate Stevenson and knot the game at one. It didn’t stay tied long, however.
Quintana hammered a 1-1 pitch from Grand Canyon starter Drew Zmuda over the wall in left field for a three-run home run to make it 4-1. It was Quintana’s 10th long ball of the season and third this season against the Lopes, and he wasn’t done.
Grand Canyon answered back in the second with a pair of runs to cut it to 4-3, but Arizona again extended the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Stevenson singled with one out and Alfonso Rivas followed with a walk to put two on with one out for Cannon.
Cannon followed Quintana’s lead and hit a three-run home run of his own that drilled the left field foul pole to make it 7-3. It was Cannon’s seventh home run of the season.
Neither team scored in the third, but the Antelopes again came back in the fourth, scoring three runs and closing it to a one-run game at 7-6. Grand Canyon scored two of their runs in the inning on a wild pitch and a throwing error. Cotton provided the other run on an RBI single.
That was as close as Grand Canyon would get, however.
The Cats made it 8-6 in the bottom half of the inning when Salazar singled home Stevenson. Preston Price, who earned the win, tossed a scoreless fifth, and Arizona added three more runs in the home half of the inning. Rivas plated a run on an RBI groundout, and Donta Williams scored on a wild pitch and Stevenson scored on an error by Malis.
Tylor Megill tossed zeroes in the sixth and seventh innings for the Wildcats, and after Jonathan Guardado tossed a scoreless eighth, Arizona blew things wide open with a nine-run eighth inning.
Salazar started the inning with a walk and scored one batter later when Quintana homered again to left field for his 11th of the season. His home run gave him the most by a Wildcat since Bobby Dalbec slugged 15 in 2015.
Tate Soderstrom followed with a walk, and Williams followed with a double to put two men in scoring position. Matt Fraizer brought home pinch-runner Blake Paugh and Seve Romo scored Williams when he reached on an error. Stevenson reached on an error himself and moved to third on a single from Rivas.
Cannon brought home a run on an infield single and then Salazar hit a three-run home run to right to finish off the scoring. It was Salazar’s first home run of the season and gave him a career-high five RBI on the night. The junior catcher finished 3 for 5 with five RBI and three runs scored, lifting his season average to .344
Quintana was 2 for 5 with five RBI and two runs scored and Cannon was 2 for 4 with four RBI and three runs scored. Stevenson reached base six times and was 1 for 2 with five runs scored at the top of the lineup.
Price, Megill, Guardado and Gil Luna combined to throw 5 1/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen for Arizona.
Arizona will return to action Friday night at California. The Cats and Bears will play a three-game series in Berkeley. Friday’s first pitch is set for 6:05 p.m.
