The Arizona Wildcats (8-4) rallied for five runs in the bottom of the ninth and third baseman Nick Quintana delivered the game-winning hit to swipe a 12-11 victory from the Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers (6-3) on Sunday afternoon at Hi Corbett Field.
Twice on the afternoon the Wildcats rallied from deep deficits – Arizona scored seven runs across the fifth and sixth innings to tie the game at 7-7 after trailing 4-0 and 7-3, and posted a five-run ninth inning to walk off as winners and improve to 8-4 on the year.
Matthew Dyer got the ninth-inning rally rolling when he reached base on a Panthers fielding error with one out. Tate Soderstrom doubled to right center to drive in Dyer, and moved to third base on a groundout in the next at-bat. Dayton Dooney singled home Soderstrom, advanced to second on defensive indifference, and moved to third on an infield single from Donte Williams to keep the momentum rolling.
The lineup then turned over, and the Wildcats collected three consecutive run-scoring singles from Cameron Cannon, Matt Fraizer, and the game-winning hit past a diving Milwaukee third baseman from Quintana.
Cannon and Fraizer led the Wildcats on offense, going a combined 6-for-10 with three runs scored, five RBI, and one walk. Williams – who entered the game in the fifth inning as a pinch hitter – also collected multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored, a triple, and two RBI.
Senior left-hander Avery Weems got the start for Arizona; he allowed four runs (one earned) on six hits over 4.1 innings of work. Weems did not factor into the decision.
Fellow southpaw, Gil Luna (1-0), worked the final 1.1 frames for the Wildcats and earned the win, his first of the year. He allowed just one hit and struck out one.
The Wildcats next game will be this Tuesday, March 5 as the Michigan State Spartans visit Hi Corbett Field. First pitch for the midweek matchup is scheduled for 6:00 PM MST.