Arizona Wildcats coach Jay Johnson knew Houston was better than its 4-8 record entering Saturday suggested. The Cougars won the AAC championship in five of the past six years. Cougars coach Todd Whitting is almost 100 games over .500 in nine-plus seasons.
“I have no doubt that they’ll pick it up,” Johnson said earlier in the week. “I think their best days of the 2020 season are ahead of them.”
Johnson’s prediction came true a little sooner than he hoped. Houston defeated Arizona 3-1 at Hi Corbett Field to square their series at a game apiece. The finale is slated for Sunday afternoon.
It was a game of missed opportunities for the Wildcats, who fell to 9-5 and lost at home for the third time this season.
Arizona had 11 hits, drew seven walks and reached once on a hit-by-pitch yet scored only one run. The Wildcats left 12 runners on base.
“We certainly had plenty of chances,” Johnson said after the game. “Credit Houston for making pitches when they needed to.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a box score with one run and 11 hits.”
The Wildcats had several chances to score early but squandered most of them because of baserunning mishaps.
With a run in, no outs and runners at first and second in the first inning, Austin Wells got picked off second base. The inning ended when Matthew Dyer tried to score from second on Jacob Blas’ groundout, which required Houston shortstop Kobe Hyland to move far to his right. First baseman Ryan Hernandez threw a dart to the plate to nip Dyer.
In the fifth inning, Arizona again had runners on first and second, this time with two outs.
On a pitch in the dirt, Blas drifted off first base. Branden Boissiere, who was on second, remained stationary. Blas got thrown out in a rundown.
In the sixth, Blake Paugh led off with a walk. Two batters later, he was thrown out trying to advance on a pitch in the dirt.
UA starter Quinn Flanagan cruised through the first three innings before faltering in the fourth. Houston scored three runs on three hits and a walk.
Those were the only runs Flanagan allowed in 5⅓ innings.
Arizona loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh, but pinch hitter Dayton Dooney popped out to reliever Derrick Cherry, who began the game as Houston’s designated hitter.
In the eighth, Cherry struck out Wells with runners on first and third and two outs. It was the only out Wells made in five at-bats.
The Cougars also played exceptional outfield defense, taking away potential extra-base hits in the third, fourth and ninth innings.
Inside pitch
- Wells singled in each of his first four at-bats. It was the third four-hit game of his UA career.
- Boissiere walked three times, a career high. He hadn’t drawn a walk in 49 plate appearances entering Saturday.
