No. 10 Arizona Wildcats crush Utah 11-1 for their seventh straight victory

This time, at least for a while, it was unclear whether Utah would get a hit.

The Utes had none through four innings against Wildcats starter Chase Silseth. Finally, in the top of the fifth, Rykker Tom hit a grounder toward the shortstop hole. Third baseman Nik McClaughry ranged far to his left, got a glove on the ball but couldn’t corral it. The play was ruled an infield single.

Silseth had to settle for seven innings of two-hit shutout ball. He improved to 7-0 at home as Arizona cruised past Utah 11-1 in front of an announced crowd of 1,330.

Silseth and reliever Dawson Netz combined to yield four hits and one walk. The former was a season low for a UA opponent; the latter tied for the fewest the Wildcats have allowed in a game this season.

The victory was the UA’s seventh in a row. The Cats have scored at least eight runs in every game during the streak. Despite the three-game skid that preceded it, Arizona (28-11, 13-6 Pac-12) finished April with a 12-4 record.

The UA hasn’t lost since dropping a 21-2 decision at Washington State on April 16.

“I feel like that was just kind of that one fumble of the season,” said right fielder Ryan Holgate, who went 3 for 4 with two runs and an RBI. “All good teams have that fumble once in a while. There's a lot of guys in the dugout that haven’t been beat that bad ... in all their careers.

“I wouldn’t say it was a turning point. It was kind of just more like, we're going to go back to the basics, stick to the plan and keep being positive.”

That 2019 game, which Arizona lost 21-10, held about as much relevance for Jay Johnson as a game in 1919 would have. The UA coach doesn’t believe the past has any bearing on the present. So Arizona’s history against Utah under Johnson – only one series victory in four tries – meant next to nothing entering their latest meeting.

“I think the past is completely irrelevant to the present – this year more so than ever, because there was no last year,” Johnson said earlier this week. “If I have any disappointment, it's last year; I believe we had an Omaha team in 2020, so not getting a chance to go for that, that one stings a little bit.”

No. 10 Arizona is most definitely in the hunt for a College World Series berth this year. But that’s not a subject Johnson ever would broach. He also refuses to acknowledge the possibility that Arizona’s motivation or focus could wane against one of the lower-level teams in the Pac-12.

“When you attach anything to the task at hand, all you do is complicate the task,” Johnson said. “We are choosing not to do that, and this is just one of those cases. We have to play good to win. Any Pac-12 series that you play, the name on the chest is irrelevant.”

Silseth put it this way: “It doesn't matter who you play, it's how you play.”

The top of the second represented the only hint of stress for Silseth, and it ended in unusual fashion. Utah loaded the bases without the benefit of a hit. With one out, Kayler Yates hit a popup to the left side – activating the infield-fly rule for an automatic out. The wind pushed the ball away from shortstop Jacob Blas, who couldn’t make the catch. However, Utah’s Shea Kramer, who was on first, drifted too far off the bag. Silseth scooped up the ball and fired to first for a double play.

“It honestly felt like there wasn’t another baserunner for the rest of the game,” Johnson said.

There were actually four, half of which came in the ninth inning, when Utah (10-24, 5-14) scored its lone run. Arizona plated four in the first inning and reached double figures for the 17th time this season.

Inside pitch

The Wildcats finished with 13 hits. It was the 18th time this season they’ve had 13 or more. Jacob Berry matched Holgate by going 3 for 4, raising his season average to .415.

UA baseball will hold its version of “Jackie Robinson Day" on Saturday. The Wildcats will wear navy T-shirts with Robinson’s number, 42, on the front and a quote from Robinson on the back: “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” Center fielder Donta’ Williams, who is Black, will be the featured speaker in a tribute video. Facts about Robinson will be revealed between innings.

Left-hander Garrett Irvin (3-1, 4.18) is scheduled to start for Arizona on Saturday. He will face lefty Kyle Robeniol (1-4, 6.98).