No. 9 Arizona seemingly had its 11th straight win locked up late Friday night, but no lead is safe in the Pac-12. No. 16 Stanford managed to tie the game in the eighth inning on an error from Arizona second baseman Kobe Kato to even the score at 4-4.
The two top teams in the conference would play five more innings before the Cardinal earned just their second walk-off win of the season with a single from centerfielder Brock Jones in the 13th.
It was a difficult way for the Wildcats (31-12, 15-7 Pac-12) to end the game after coming back in the seventh inning with three runs to retake a lead.
UA had an opportunity to walk Jones in the final inning to potentially set up a double play.with one out and runners on second and third. Instead, the Wildcats opted to have reliever Quinn Flanagan (0-3) pitch to the sophomore slugger who was just 1 for 6 with four strikeouts before his final at-bat.
It was the only blemish on the night for Flanagan, who shined through four innings of work for the Wildcats. The sophomore right-hander had seven strikeouts in the loss, and he didn't walk any batters until the final inning. The lone hit he allowed in the game came from Jones on the single to give Stanford (25-9, 11-5) the victory.
Flanagan didn't receive much help from the UA hitters during his time on the mound as the Wildcats were only able to come up with one hit over the final six innings of the game and finished the night without an extra base hit.
Kato singled on an 0-1 pitch in the top of the 13th before stealing second and being moved over on a sacrifice.
The UA second baseman would be stranded at third, however, as shortstop Nik McClaughry struck out on three pitches to end the threat with Kato still standing on third base.
Catcher Daniel Susac gave UA the early 1-0 lead in the first inning as he singled to right field bringing in leadoff hitter Donta' Williams from third.
After the Wildcats allowed three runs by the end of the sixth inning, the offense was sparked by a pair Stanford mistakes leading to a three-run seventh inning allowing Arizona to go back out in front, 4-3.
Left fielder Mac Bingham and designated hitter Jacob Berry both singled in the inning to bring in the UA runs in the seventh.
It was another big night at the plate for Berry, who finished the game with three hits in four at-bats to go with a walk.
Susac was the other Arizona player with a multi-hit night in the loss to Stanford. He went 2 for 6 in the game.
The Wildcats had to use six pitchers in the 13-inning game Friday night led by starting pitcher Chase Silseth who was able to have a solid showing on the road. He has struggled in recent road starts but finished Friday's game having surrendered just two earned runs. He was on the mound for 5 1/3 innings and threw a total of 95 pitches.
Arizona will look to bounce after the extra-innings loss when it meets Stanford for the second game of the series Saturday afternoon at 2:05 p.m. MST. A victory Saturday would help the Wildcats alive in their quest for a seventh consecutive series win.
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