There have been record temperatures in Tucson the past few days, and some of that heat finally warmed up Arizona’s bats.
The Wildcats cranked out 17 hits, eight for extra bases, in a 14-6 win over Texas Tech on Saturday night at Hi Corbett Field. The victory snapped a 4-game skid.
Arizona (8-14, 2-3 Big 12) trailed 2-0 before coming to the plate but scored in each of the first five innings. It took the lead for good with a 3-run 2nd to go up 5-3, then added eight more runs over the next three frames.
Smith Bailey labored through five innings, allowing six runs and throwing a career-high 110 pitches to earn the win. His final inning saw him load the bases with one out, bringing the tying run to the plate in a 9-5 game, but he only allowed a sacrifice fly.
Arizona told then plate four in the bottom of the 5th, getting RBI hits from Tony Lira and Andrew Cain and a 2-out, 2-run single from Jackson Forbes.
Cain and Forbes both drove in three, while Cain and Nate Novitske each had three hits as every Wildcat recorded a hit. That included true freshman shortstop Gavin Triezenberg, who got his first career hit in his second game after making his collegiate debut Friday night.
Texas Tech (14-8, 3-2) finished with 12 hits including two home runs.
Patrick Morris threw four scoreless innings is relief to earn the save, also saving Arizona’s injury-depleted bullpen in the process. The Wildcats have four relievers either out indefinitely or for the season
The UA will go for the series win Sunday at 12 p.m. PT with left-hander Luc Fladda on the mound.
