Arizona's offensive power surge Friday night helped end a seven-game losing streak with a 9-3 win over Washington at Hi Corbett Field.
The Wildcats (14-14, 3-7 Pac-12), who came into the game second in the Pac-12 in slugging percentage at .479, hit four homers out of their spacious stadium in the first three innings, chasing Washington starter David Rhodes in the fourth.
Rhodes, who had a 1.75 ERA before Friday, hadn’t allowed a home run in 36 innings this season. That streak ended with one out in the first when Austin Wells smashed a towering fly ball over the Terry Francona Hitting Center in right field. Nick Quintana followed with a home run off the scoreboard in left, the first of two for the Arizona third baseman, and Dayton Dooney also hit one out. It was Arizona’s first game with four home runs since May 2018.
Wells finished a double short of the cycle, going 3 for 4 for with three RBIs.
The offensive fireworks gave Wildcats starter Randy Labaut, who entered with a 6.82 ERA, enough of a cushion to stay aggressive. He was particularly assertive with his curveball, throwing it for strikes early in counts to keep the Huskies, who start seven upperclassmen, off balance.
With two on and one out in the third inning, he blew strike three past cleanup hitter Connor Blair, painting the outside corner. After Washington catcher Nick Kahle ended Labaut's shutout bid with a two-run homer in the fifth inning, Labaut responded by inducing a ground ball double play and fooling Jonathan Schiffer for the third out with a curveball down the middle.
Replaced to start the seventh, UA's big junior lefty finished with three earned runs on 11 hits — nine of them singles — two walks and six strikeouts.
It was the strong start the Arizona coaching staff had been waiting for, building off what skipper Jay Johnson thought was a step forward in an 8-2 loss at Arizona State Friday.
“I thought he was really competitive against a good lineup, and put a lot of pressure on them,” Johnson said. “I looked up, it was the sixth inning and they had only four hits. Against that lineup, that’s a good accomplishment. I certainly think it was a step in the right direction and one that we need.”
Arizona, as a team, just needed a victory.
The Wildcats took two of three from Utah at home to begin Pac-12 play, but they were swept at No. 1 UCLA and No. 9 Arizona State. The road swing, which also included a 6-4 loss to San Diego State, sunk their RPI to No. 109. With Washington (14-10, 5-5) riding a four-game losing streak of its own into the series, Friday’s victory was a promising start to a weekend that could help the Wildcats turn a corner.
Arizona has another three-game series, against California, sandwiched around a trip to Grand Canyon before it travels to No. 6 Oregon State on April 18.
Arizona continues its series against Washington at 3 p.m. Saturday, with right-hander Quinn Flanagan (3-1) projected to make the start for the Wildcats against Jordan Jones (2-2).
