The No. 23-ranked Arizona Wildcats erupted for 14 hits Saturday in a 15-4 blowout victory over the visiting San Jose State Spartans at Hi Corbett Field.
It was the fourth time in seven games that the Wildcats eclipsed the 10-run mark - a feat last season's national champions did not reach until the 14th game last season
Left fielder Scott Kingery, who came in hitting .385 in the leadoff spot, sparked the Wildcats' first-inning rally with a base hit up the middle. Riley Moore's single moved Kingery to third, and two batters later, San Jose State starter David Wayne Russo threw a passed ball that allowed Kingery to score the first run of the game.
After Trent Gilbert drew a walk, freshman Kevin Newman drove an RBI single through the right side of the infield, and an errant throw by right fielder Nick Schulz scored Brandon Dixon for the third and final run of the inning.
The bats stayed hot as the Wildcats poured on seven more runs in the bottom of the second to take a commanding 10-run lead. With the bases loaded, Dixon found himself in a similar situation from the previous night, when he delivered the walk-off, bases-clearing triple with two outs in the ninth. Dixon executed once again, shooting a line drive up the middle, scoring Zach Gibbons and Moore.
Russo (1-1) took the loss, allowing eight runs on six hits in just 1 1/3 innings.
The Spartans answered with a three-run fourth inning off starter James Farris, who allowed the first three batters of the inning to reach base. A pair of RBI groundouts and a triple to deep right field off the bat of shortstop Ricky Acosta cut the UA lead to 10-3.
San Jose State added on one more run in the top of the seventh, but the Wildcats' lead had already been extended to 13-4.
Farris (2-0) pitched 7 1/3 innings for the Wildcats, gave up all four runs and struck out seven. The junior fanned a career-high eight hitters in his only other start this season.
Freshman reliever Cody Moffett allowed just one hit over the remaining 1 2/3 innings.
Dixon and Newman led the way for Arizona with 3 RBIs apiece.
The final game of the three-game series will be played at noon Sunday at Hi Corbett Field. The probable starters for tomorrow's matchup will be D.J. Slaton (0-1, 1.80 ERA) for the Spartans and Stephen Manthei (0-0, 7.71 ERA) for the Wildcats.[/B]
It was the fourth time in seven games that the Wildcats eclipsed the 10-run mark - a feat last season's national champions did not reach until the 14th game last season
Left fielder Scott Kingery, who came in hitting .385 in the leadoff spot, sparked the Wildcats' first-inning rally with a base hit up the middle. Riley Moore's single moved Kingery to third, and two batters later, San Jose State starter David Wayne Russo threw a passed ball that allowed Kingery to score the first run of the game.
After Trent Gilbert drew a walk, freshman Kevin Newman drove an RBI single through the right side of the infield, and an errant throw by right fielder Nick Schulz scored Brandon Dixon for the third and final run of the inning.
The bats stayed hot as the Wildcats poured on seven more runs in the bottom of the second to take a commanding 10-run lead. With the bases loaded, Dixon found himself in a similar situation from the previous night, when he delivered the walk-off, bases-clearing triple with two outs in the ninth. Dixon executed once again, shooting a line drive up the middle, scoring Zach Gibbons and Moore.
Russo (1-1) took the loss, allowing eight runs on six hits in just 1 1/3 innings.
The Spartans answered with a three-run fourth inning off starter James Farris, who allowed the first three batters of the inning to reach base. A pair of RBI groundouts and a triple to deep right field off the bat of shortstop Ricky Acosta cut the UA lead to 10-3.
San Jose State added on one more run in the top of the seventh, but the Wildcats' lead had already been extended to 13-4.
Farris (2-0) pitched 7 1/3 innings for the Wildcats, gave up all four runs and struck out seven. The junior fanned a career-high eight hitters in his only other start this season.
Freshman reliever Cody Moffett allowed just one hit over the remaining 1 2/3 innings.
Dixon and Newman led the way for Arizona with 3 RBIs apiece.
The final game of the three-game series will be played at noon Sunday at Hi Corbett Field. The probable starters for tomorrow's matchup will be D.J. Slaton (0-1, 1.80 ERA) for the Spartans and Stephen Manthei (0-0, 7.71 ERA) for the Wildcats.[/B]
