No. 11 Wildcats sink Buccaneers, earn series sweep
The 11th-ranked Arizona Wildcats continued their domination of East Tennessee State Sunday afternoon, thwarting the Buccaneers 21-6 at Hi Corbett Field to earn their fifth series sweep of the season.
Arizona (29-13) racked up 27 hits, two more than their previous season high set on Friday night. Every Wildcats starter accounted for a hit and scored a run. Nine 'Cats had two or more hits and all except second baseman David Lopez registered an RBI. The Wildcats scored a run in every inning but the fourth, scoring 15 runs over the final three innings.
Advertisement
"We swung the bats extremely well again," head coach Andy Lopez said. "It was obviously our best weekend offensively."
The Wildcats' hitters amassed 65 hits - 22 of which were for extra bases - and batted an incredible .504 during the three-game series.
"I thought we played very good baseball for three nights in a row even though it wasn't a conference weekend," Lopez said. "Our concentration was good, our execution was good. We had a very good weekend."
Bobby Brown and Johnny Field highlighted the weekend, going a combined 20 for 27 with 13 runs scored and 16 RBIs.
"Everyone just had good at-bats all weekend," Field said. "Everyone just had a good approach, seeing pitches up and putting good swings on it all weekend."
The 'Cats and Bucs (19-24) battled back and forth for the first five innings, but in the bottom of the sixth Arizona broke the game open with six runs on five hits including a two-run single by Brown.
Brown finished the game with his second four-hit performance of the series, going 4 for 4 with a run and two RBIs.
He noted that he was getting a lot of good pitches to hit and that he was seeing the ball well all weekend.
"I just felt really confident up there at the plate," Brown said. "It felt great and it worked out for me."
Field also added four hits, going 4 for 5 with two doubles and a triple, three runs scored and two RBIs.
Arizona wouldn't look back, scoring three runs in the seventh and six more in the eighth.
UA starter James Farris (5-2) got the win, giving up five runs on 10 hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out five.
ETSU starter Kerry Doane (4-3) received the loss after pitching 5 1/3 innings, giving up 12 runs (eight earned) off 15 hits.
Arizona is set to take on No. 10 Oregon next weekend in a battle for first place at Hi Corbett Field. The Ducks claim a half-game lead over the Wildcats in the Pac-12 Conference race after sweeping California this weekend.
Click Here to view this Link.Matt Lundgren
GOAZCATS.com Staff Writer