From Arizona Athletics
Alfonso Rivas had three hits, including a two-run home run and the Arizona Wildcats pounded out season highs in hits and runs in a convincing 13-4 win over San Diego State at Hi Corbett Field on Tuesday night.
The win improved Arizona to 6-6 on the season and 5-0 at Hi Corbett, where 2,503 fans filled the seats Tuesday night against the Aztecs. Rivas was one of five Arizona players to register a multiple-hit night, going 3 for 5 with four RBI and two runs scored. Nick Quintana and Cesar Salazar also each had three-hit nights, and Cal Stevenson and Matt Fraizer each had two hits in the come-from-behind victory for the Wildcats.
Trailing 3-0 in the middle of the second inning, Arizona got one run back in the bottom half. The Wildcats loaded the bases with no outs and Cameron Cannon hit into a 4-6-3 double play, but Rivas, who singled to start the inning, scored to make it 3-1.
Juan Aguilera then kept it at a two-run deficit with a scoreless third inning. The Wildcats went to work in the bottom of the third to erase the deficit altogether. Mitchell Morimoto started the rally with a one-out hit-by-pitch. He moved to third on Stevenson’s first double of the season. With runners on second and third and one out, Ryan Haug walked to load the bases for Rivas.
Rivas roped a single to center to score Morimoto and Stevenson and tie the game at three apiece. The next batter, Nick Quintana, singled through the left side to score Haug and give Arizona its first lead of the evening.
Aguilera, who earned the win to move to 2-0 on the season, worked a quick 1-2-3 fourth inning to get the Cats back to the plate. Fraizer led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Travis Moniot. Morimoto then reached on an error, allowing Fraizer to score from second and make it 5-3.
Stevenson came up next and singled home Morimoto to make it 6-3. After a strikeout, Rivas came up and again did some damage. The junior first baseman hammered a home run over the batters eye in centerfield for a two-run shot to stretch the lead to five runs at 8-3. The home run was the second of the season for Rivas and the 10th of his career.
Aguilera got the first two outs of the fifth, but exited after Chase Calabuig reached on an error. Freshman lefty Gil Luna came on to get the final out and get Arizona out of the inning.
The Wildcats still weren’t done adding to their lead, plating two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Cannon and Morimoto both scored on wild pitches to make it 10-3.
That remained the score until the eighth inning when Arizona added three more. Quintana and Salazar started the inning with back-to-back singles. Quintana scored on a sacrifice fly from Cannon, and Salazar scored on a sacrifice fly from Moniot. The final run came when freshman Blake Paugh lined a single to center to score Fraizer.
San Diego State added an unearned run in the ninth to make it 13-4.
All total, Arizona finished with 15 hits. Quintana and Salazar each went 3 for 4. Stevenson was 2 for 3 with an RBI, two runs scored and two walks. Fraizer was 2 for 5 with a pair of runs scored.
Arizona continues its homestand this weekend with a three-game series against North Dakota State. First pitch Friday is set for 6 p.m., followed by a pair of matinees to close out the series.
Alfonso Rivas had three hits, including a two-run home run and the Arizona Wildcats pounded out season highs in hits and runs in a convincing 13-4 win over San Diego State at Hi Corbett Field on Tuesday night.
The win improved Arizona to 6-6 on the season and 5-0 at Hi Corbett, where 2,503 fans filled the seats Tuesday night against the Aztecs. Rivas was one of five Arizona players to register a multiple-hit night, going 3 for 5 with four RBI and two runs scored. Nick Quintana and Cesar Salazar also each had three-hit nights, and Cal Stevenson and Matt Fraizer each had two hits in the come-from-behind victory for the Wildcats.
Trailing 3-0 in the middle of the second inning, Arizona got one run back in the bottom half. The Wildcats loaded the bases with no outs and Cameron Cannon hit into a 4-6-3 double play, but Rivas, who singled to start the inning, scored to make it 3-1.
Juan Aguilera then kept it at a two-run deficit with a scoreless third inning. The Wildcats went to work in the bottom of the third to erase the deficit altogether. Mitchell Morimoto started the rally with a one-out hit-by-pitch. He moved to third on Stevenson’s first double of the season. With runners on second and third and one out, Ryan Haug walked to load the bases for Rivas.
Rivas roped a single to center to score Morimoto and Stevenson and tie the game at three apiece. The next batter, Nick Quintana, singled through the left side to score Haug and give Arizona its first lead of the evening.
Aguilera, who earned the win to move to 2-0 on the season, worked a quick 1-2-3 fourth inning to get the Cats back to the plate. Fraizer led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt from Travis Moniot. Morimoto then reached on an error, allowing Fraizer to score from second and make it 5-3.
Stevenson came up next and singled home Morimoto to make it 6-3. After a strikeout, Rivas came up and again did some damage. The junior first baseman hammered a home run over the batters eye in centerfield for a two-run shot to stretch the lead to five runs at 8-3. The home run was the second of the season for Rivas and the 10th of his career.
Aguilera got the first two outs of the fifth, but exited after Chase Calabuig reached on an error. Freshman lefty Gil Luna came on to get the final out and get Arizona out of the inning.
The Wildcats still weren’t done adding to their lead, plating two more runs in the bottom of the fifth. Cannon and Morimoto both scored on wild pitches to make it 10-3.
That remained the score until the eighth inning when Arizona added three more. Quintana and Salazar started the inning with back-to-back singles. Quintana scored on a sacrifice fly from Cannon, and Salazar scored on a sacrifice fly from Moniot. The final run came when freshman Blake Paugh lined a single to center to score Fraizer.
San Diego State added an unearned run in the ninth to make it 13-4.
All total, Arizona finished with 15 hits. Quintana and Salazar each went 3 for 4. Stevenson was 2 for 3 with an RBI, two runs scored and two walks. Fraizer was 2 for 5 with a pair of runs scored.
Arizona continues its homestand this weekend with a three-game series against North Dakota State. First pitch Friday is set for 6 p.m., followed by a pair of matinees to close out the series.
