Arizona completed a perfect homestand with an imperfect 11-8 victory over New Mexico on Tuesday night at Hi Corbett Field.
The Wildcats (23-15) went 5-0 on the homestand and have won six in a row overall. They scored at least nine runs in all six games and reached double figures five times.
Arizona seemed to be on its way to another blowout Tuesday, taking a 9-1 lead through two innings against the visiting Lobos (19-17). But with two outs in the bottom of the third, UA right fielder Emilio Corona dropped a fly ball. That led to a six-run inning, with all six of the runs being unearned.
New Mexico closed the gap to 9-8 on Braydon Runion's solo home run off Anthony Susac in the fifth. That would be as close as the Lobos would get, as Arizona tacked on insurance runs via Nik McClaughry's RBI groundout in the sixth and Tony Bullard's RBI single in the eighth.
That homer was the only run Susac allowed in two innings. Dawson Netz, TJ Nichols, Derek Drees and Chris Barraza followed with four consecutive scoreless frames. Barazza earned his first save of the season.
Starter Cam Walty got the win despite pitching only one inning. UA coach Chip Hale revealed during his pregame radio interview that Walty would pitch only that first frame so he'd be available to start Friday's series opener at Oregon State. Walty (3-0), who missed the start of the season because of injury, hasn't allowed a run in 13 innings in his past three appearances.
The UA pitching staff combined for 13 strikeouts with only one walk. The strikeouts tied for the second most in a game this season, while the walks tied for the second fewest.
The UA offense produced 15 hits, with every member of the lineup notching at least one. Mac Bingham, Chase Davis, Kiko Romero, Mason White, Bullard and Cameron LaLiberte each had two hits. McClaughry, Davis, Corona and Bullard each had two RBIs.
The critical OSU series begins at 7 p.m. Friday in Corvallis. All three games will air on Pac-12 Networks.
