Arizona head coach Jay Johnson has often mentioned this year that his team has to be ready for tough competition every weekend in the Pac-12. The Wildcats (33-13, 17-8 Pac-12) learned that first hand Friday night as last-place Washington gave the home team all it could handle in an extra-innings marathon at Hi Corbett Field.
In the end UA infielder Nik McClaughry was able to play the hero role as he hit a two-out single up the middle to bring in Daniel Susac to give the Wildcats a 17-16 win in the 10th inning after nearly five and a half hours of action.
Susac tied the game up with a double to deep right center field that brought in Tyler Casagrande who had singled to get on base earlier in the inning. Casagrande played a key role in the comeback win after he entered the game in the ninth inning as a replacement for Ryan Holgate in right field.
The sophomore helped cut down a 3-run lead in the 10th on a single to left field that brought in Donta' Williams and Mac Bingham to cut into the Huskies' advantage.
The Wildcats had to battle through some struggles on the mound and in the field Friday night as there were 19 hits allowed by the UA pitching staff and four critical errors by the defense.
Despite the mistakes Johnson called the win one of the best in his time as a head coach because of how the team fought through adversity to pull out a victory.
"We really overcame a lot," Johnson said. "It was kind of a weird game. We struggled on defense, obviously, but who gives a crap right now? We'll be back tomorrow and working on it. I'm just so proud of my team.
"... I'm at a loss for words. I'm so proud to be those guys' coach right now."
McClaughry, who recently hit his first home run since before his high school career, has more experience in the walk-off category. The UA infielder said he had a walk-off hit as a junior college player at Sacramento City College to an a 17-inning contest, but his latest walk-off hit certainly holds plenty of significance as well.
Still, McClaughry didn't think his hit was the most important one of the game.
"We've been resilient all year in games like this," McClaughry said. "We've had to fight back. Going down three runs in the last inning and fighting back, especially with guys coming up and getting big hits especially guys off the bench. Tyler Casagrande, that was the biggest at-bat of the game, I think. Two-strike hit got it going, and then Dan got it to us."
Susac played a big role in the victory Friday night as he had a couple key hits in the game. His first came in the fourth inning after Washington posted three runs in the top half. The freshman catcher hit a bases-clearing triple down the line in left to help put UA back on top. His second put UA in position to win in the 10th.
"At every point in the game I think we can come back," Susac said. "I think that's a mutual feeling inside our dugout. I think you'll never see any give-up in our team. I think that's clearly evident with tonight."
The Wildcats will look to win the three-game series Saturday night in the second matchup with the Huskies (17-25, 3-16). First pitch at Hi Corbett Field is set for 6 p.m MST.
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