Arizona baseball falters late, loses game two to No. 1 UCLA

The Arizona Wildcats fell Saturday afternoon to No. 1 UCLA, 12-10. The Wildcats allowed the go ahead runs in the eighth.

After pitching a complete game shutout in his last start, Arizona starting pitcher Quinn Flanagan was not nearly as effective Saturday afternoon against the number one team in the country.

Flanagan took care of business in the first inning but his struggles in the second began with the first batter. He allowed three hits to begin the inning, scoring two runs. A sac bunt from the next batter moved the runners, before a triple and sac fly made it a four-run frame.

A perfect third was followed by an even rockier fourth, but for more than just Flanagan, who was pulled after the third batter. The three batters he faced all got on base. Flanagan was replaced by Avery Weems, who proceeded to allow all three inherited runners to score. Weems allowed two singles and hit a batter before getting the final three outs, one of which was a sac fly.

UCLA added runs in the fifth and sixth to tie the game at 10-all.

Then, in the eighth, Arizona sent out three pitchers. UCLA managed two runs off of those three pitchers, one from a wild pitch, and the other thanks to a double by the next batter.

In total, Bryce Collins (0-2) got the loss for Arizona. Flanagan managed just three inning, seven runs (all earned), on eight hits. Weems allowed three runs on five hits in three and two-thirds innings.

The Wildcat’s offense returned to normal in the game, which was great for Arizona. They scored one in the first, but most of their ten runs came via a six run third.

Shortstop Jacob Blas singled to lead off the third. Left fielder Brandon Boissiere and centerfielder Donta Williams followed Blas with singles of their own. Williams’ single scored Blas for the second run for the Wildcats.

The next batter, second baseman Cameron Cannon, hammered his fifth homerun of the year to left field. Later in the inning, after catcher Matthew Dyer reached on an error, third baseman Nick Quintana homered to left for his second of the year and to complete the six-run inning.

Quintana added an RBI single in the fifth before two more runs scored thanks to an error by first baseman Michael Toglia.

Williams, Blas and Quintana had two hits each Saturday, and Quintana and Cannon each had three RBIs.

The Wildcats will look to avoid the sweep at Jackie Robinson Stadium Sunday. First pitch is at 1 p.m.

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