For the second straight night, Arizona squandered an early lead.
For the fifth straight time, the Wildcats lost a conference game.
Arizona fell to rival Arizona State 7-4 Saturday at Phoenix Municipal Stadium. ASU clinched the series victory, its first over the UA since 2019. (The teams did not face each other during the COVID-shortened 2020 season.)
After opening Pac-12 play with a home sweep over Cal, Arizona has lost five in a row against league foes — three at UCLA and two at ASU.
The Wildcats fell to 13-8, 3-5. The Sun Devils, who have won nine of their past 10, are 15-8, 4-1.
Arizona had a 3-1 lead entering the bottom of the sixth inning. ASU then score five runs, including a three-run homer by freshman third baseman Nu’u Contrades off reliever Dawson Netz. Like the night before, a hit-by-pitch preceded the home run.
Contrades went 3 for 5 with five RBIs. ASU's Isaiah Jackson (Cienega High School) went 2 for 4 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored.
Mac Bingham, Tommy Splaine and Garen Caulfield each had two hits for Arizona. Bingham drove in two runs and had two clutch catches in center field.
Nik McClaughry, Chase Davis and Kiko Romero — Arizona's Nos. 2-4 batters — were a combined 0 for 10. McClaughry and Davis have yet to register a hit in the series.
The three-game set concludes Sunday with a 4 p.m. first pitch. The game will be televised by Pac-12 Networks.
Japan comes out victorious in a 3-2 win over the United States during the World Baseball Classic final on Tuesday.
