Baseball Drops Heartbreaker to Arizona, 4-3
TUCSON – The Utah baseball team fell late to the Arizona Wildcats 4-3 in the second game of the series at Hi Corbett Field after the Wildcats rallied late with two runs in the eighth inning to take their first lead of the game.
Utah held an early lead throughout the game with some strong pitching from Kyle Robeniol, but Arizona pushed a couple runs across the plate in the eighth to take the lead before securing the win in the ninth.
The Utes got off to a fast start with one run in the first and two runs in the second to go up 3-0. In the first, Jaylon McLaughlin got on base with a walk and immediately stole second. Matt Richardson laid down a sac bunt that got him to third setting up Kai Roberts, who earned the RBI with a single to center field.
Utah built upon their lead in the second inning. They took advantage of a couple of errors from Arizona that extended the inning. With Chase Fernlund on third and McLaughlin on second, Richardson came through with a single to score both runners to put Utah up 3-0.
Arizona came back and scored a couple runs in the third, but the Utes strong pitching and defense kept them out front. Robeniol pitched 6.0 innings and only gave up four hits to the Wildcats. McLaughlin not only scored a couple of runs, but made three diving catches in center field to take hits away from Arizona.
Heading into the eighth with Brayson Hurdsman on the mound, Arizona got two singles to start the inning. After getting a strikeout for the first out, the Wildcats got a single to left field to tie the game. Next up with runners on first and third, Utah got the ground ball it needed but couldn't turn the double play allowing Arizona to go up 4-3.
Utah couldn't get anything going in the ninth dropping their second game of the series.
Hurdsman took the loss moving his record to 1-1. Utah's record fell to 10-25 and 5-15 in conference play.
The Utes totaled eight hits on the night with McLaughlin, Richardson and Roberts each having two hits. McLaughlin scored two of the three runs and Richardson had two of the three RBI.
Utah and Arizona will play the third game of the series on Sunday at noon.