Chase Davis belted a grand slam as part of a five-run inning, Tanner O’Tremba had three hits, and the 16th-ranked Arizona Wildcats opened a three-game series against Utah with a 7-6 win on Thursday afternoon in Salt Lake City.
Davis, Arizona’s sweet-swinging lefty, also doubled, was walked intentionally and was hit by a pitch.
It was his fifth-inning slam, however, that was a game-changer.
Mac Bingham reached on an error to open the inning, and O’Tremba followed with a single. Daniel Susac was then hit by a pitch, loading the bases for Davis with nobody out. Davis took the first pitch for a ball, then ripped the second pitch to right-center field, making it 6-5.
Arizona (24-10, 11-5 Pac-12) tacked on a run in the sixth inning, when Susac doubled in O’Tremba with two outs. Susac finished 1 for 4 with an RBI, dropping his batting average to a still-team-high .391.
UA pitcher TJ Nichols (5-2) overcame a rough start to earn the win. The starting pitcher allowed six runs on 12 hits — 11 of them singles — before being lifted with one out in the seventh inning. He struck out four and walked two while throwing 104 pitches, 64 of them strikes.
Quinn Flanagan and Trevor Long combined to pitch 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, striking out three and walking two.
Utah falls to 18-4-1 overall and 5-8 in league play.
The Wildcats and Utes will play Game 2 on Friday morning in Salt Lake City. This week’s series runs through Saturday because of the Easter holiday. The games are being played early because Utah shares Smith’s Ballpark with the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees, who are also home this week.
