Arizona continued its recent momentum, completing the sweep over Cal with a 10-5 win Sunday afternoon to win its ninth straight game on the back of a strong outing from sophomore right-hander Aiden May. It’s the Wildcats’ first opening conference series sweep since 2007 vs. Oregon State.
May had no problem finding the zone all game, throwing 86 pitches with 61 of them being thrown for strikes. He completed his first quality start of the season, allowing three runs on seven hits across six innings to go along with eight strikeouts and one walk.
“It was outstanding,” Arizona coach Chip Hale said of May’s performance. “When he is throwing the slider like that, it is pretty much unhittable. It’s disappointing that he gave up the runs. He had such great stuff, but a really good start to build on going over to UCLA on the weekend.”
Last season pitching for Pima Community College, May walked 28 hitters across 46⅔ innings. Through his first 19 innings pitching for UA, he has walked just two hitters and struck out 19.
“I’ve always been a strikeout guy, and a lot of walks have hurt me in the past,” May said. “This year, I felt great. Honestly, two walks is probably the best start to a season I’ve ever had in terms of filling up the zone. I have the coaches to thank for that and my mentality going after guys. and hopefully it continues.”
Arizona’s 12-3 start is its best 15-game start since going 13-2 in 2017. Cal fell to 8-6.
Arizona first baseman Kiko Romero finished the Wildcats’ three-game sweep of Cal going 9 for 11 with three home runs and nine RBIs
Cal got off to an early 1-0 lead with a home run in the second inning before the Wildcats countered with an RBI double hit by Tony Bullard in the third.
May left another ball over the plate in the fourth inning for a two-run home run to give Cal a 3-1 lead.
One of Arizona’s biggest struggles all season, as Hale has noted, has been scoring in the middle frames. In this game, the Wildcats exploded for nine runs in the third through seventh innings to take control.
“We talk about getting off to fast starts a lot and we do it pretty well — and then we go into a lull,” Hale said. “Today was the opposite. (Tucker) Bougie (Cal’s starter) did a really good job. He came out throwing strikes, mixing pitches and we had a hard time. The middle innings we got in there, started to get better at-bats and we stuck with it.”
Kiko Romero continued his recent hot streak, extending his hitting streak to nine games with a home run hit 433 feet. He finished the series with three home runs and nine RBIs.
The Wildcats tied their season high with six doubles, with two of them coming from Mac Bingham, who also drove in three runs.
Derek Drees, Dawson Netz, George Arias Jr. and Trevor Long combined to throw the final three innings in relief.
Inside pitch
This weekend was the start of replay review being enabled at Hi Corbett Field, where coaches get two challenges per game and another if they get a call overturned. On Sunday, there were two challenges, both by Cal, with one of them being upheld and one of them being overturned. The upheld call came in the sixth inning on a play where Mason White was ruled safe at third base. The overturned call came on an infield single for the Golden Bears in the eighth inning.
Bullard was removed from the game in the fifth inning. Hale said Bullard was dealing with some soreness and implied he was removed out of precaution.
Right-hander Anthony Susac (arm) has yet to throw a bullpen, and Hale said there is a “90%” chance Susac will miss another start next weekend against UCLA.
Hale said Wednesday’s scheduled game at Cal State Fullerton is expected to be postponed due to weather.
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