Following a three-game sweep at the College Baseball Showdown in Texas over the weekend, No. 11 Arizona struggled in its home opener against Grand Canyon University on Tuesday, losing the game 19-3.
In front of a crowd of 2,766 fans on a cold night at Hi Corbett Field, the Wildcats (3-1) struggled mightily in the first few innings of the game, allowing GCU to score six runs in the first three innings.
Three throwing errors on rundown plays were key factors in Arizona’s early-game struggles. Many of the position players in the game were not playing their primary positions, however. First baseman Noah Turley particularly struggled at his normal position in the loss.
“Just a bad game for him, that’s all,” head coach Chip Hale said in his postgame media session. “Everybody has a bad game. That’s life.”
After three solid pitching performances from their first three starting pitchers, the Wildcats started Eric Orloff in their home opener. He struggled to find the plate and command his pitches in his time on the mound.
Orloff gave up four runs but only one of them was earned to go with one strikeout in only 1 2/3 innings of work.
“We just didn't do anything. Pitching, hitting, fielding. We just didn’t do it tonight. They pretty much took us out of the game early,” Hale said.
The pitching was a serious concern for the Wildcats as they allowed GCU (1-2) to hit three home runs in the loss. Combined, Arizona’s pitchers gave up 14 earned runs and five walks while only striking out seven batters as a group.
Finding the strike zone was another major issue in the game for the Wildcats. Arizona pitchers ended the game with seven walks, two wild pitches and two hit batsmen. Seven different pitchers took the mound for UA in the game, and several of the players in the group were seeing their first action with the Wildcats.
“We were hoping they pitched well and saw what we have,” Hale said. “We’re in a situation where we played three games on the weekend. We’re at Tuesday and we’re not gonna start any of our starters. We knew that this was gonna be a situation where we can try to see what we can do on these Tuesday games.
“Those guys are gonna have to pitch again and they’re gonna have to pitch better.”
Six of the seven pitchers used by Arizona in Tuesday's game surrendered at least two runs while three of them allowed four runs to come across the plate.
Offensively, the Wildcats struggled to get anything going, only managing to get five hits with catcher Daniel Susac getting three of them. Pac-12 Player of the Week Tanner O’Tremba accounted for one hit and two RBIs in the game to go along with one walk as he continues to have success at the plate early this season.
Shortstop Nik McClaughry accounted for the other UA hit in the game after he went 1 for 2 with a walk in the loss.
No players were available for comments after the game.
Tuesday’s loss to GCU marks the first defeat in a home opener for the Wildcats since 2003 when they lost to BYU, 6-3.
The Wildcats will look to rebound starting on Thursday when they begin a four-game homestand against Milwaukee at Hi Corbett Field.
****
> DISCUSS the article with other Arizona baseball fans because the Wildcats Own Omaha
> WATCH the latest videos from GOAZCATS.com and subscribe to our YouTube channel
> FOLLOW us on Twitter (@goazcatscom)
> FOLLOW us on Instagram (@goazcats)
> LIKE us on Facebook
> SUBSCRIBE for all the latest Arizona Wildcats team and recruiting news (subscribe now)
