The margin for error is minuscule in most Friday-night matchups in the Pac-12. Every mistake is magnified.
Arizona has benefited from its opponents’ miscues. The Wildcats also have been victimized by their own.
No. 12 Arizona experienced the latter in the opener of a three-game series against UCLA. The Wildcats committed four errors in a 10-2 setback at Hi Corbett Field, their second in a row after winning six straight.
It was only the third time this season that Arizona has made three or more errors in a game. But they were costly on a night when offense was hard to come by.
“You’re not going to win in this league playing the way we played,” UA coach Chip Hale said.
Starter TJ Nichols allowed five runs — all of which were unearned. Nichols, who suffered his first loss of the season, saw his ERA fall from 2.40 to 2.04.
“You gotta play the game right,” Hale said. “We’re not playing the game very well right now. We’ll put our heads together as coaches and see if we can get them better prepared before the game, because we’re just not coming out and playing very crisp.”
The first batter, Cody Schrier, reached on an error by second baseman Tyler Casagrande. That led to two unearned runs and a 2-0 deficit before many in the crowd of 3,524 had taken their seats.
Arizona (16-6, 5-2 Pac-12) has allowed at least one run in the first inning in four of its past six games.
The score remained 2-0 until the sixth. Errors by third baseman Garen Caulfield and Casagrande and a walk issued by Nichols loaded the bases. Quinn Flanagan, who allowed just one hit in four innings against Stanford on Monday, entered from the bullpen to face Schrier.
Schrier clubbed an 0-1 pitch well over the wall in left-center for a grand slam. It was his team-leading fifth home run of the season.
Arizona struggled to make consistently hard contact against UCLA starter Jake Brooks, who allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings. The runs came in the sixth and seventh innings, at which point the Wildcats trailed 6-0. Brooks struck out only three batters.
UCLA (14-7, 2-2) scored four runs in the ninth off the UA bullpen to put the game away.
The Wildcats have experienced both sides of series-opening games in the Pac-12 in which mistakes proved consequential.
In its conference opener at Cal, Arizona squandered an 8-5 lead in the ninth inning. All four runs scored on wild pitches or passed balls.
In its Pac-12 home opener vs. Stanford, Arizona scored three runs in the seventh and eighth innings to overcome a 2-0 deficit. Only one of the runs was earned, as the Cardinal committed three errors.
“I know it's a short season in college,” Hale said. “But if you play the game correctly, it's OK — you can handle some of these losses. Because you get beat by good teams.
“But when you don't play crisp, good baseball, that's a tough one. So we'll come out tomorrow, we'll play crisper and ... at least give our fans, give our team, a chance to win a game.”
Inside pitch
- UA catcher Daniel Susac had four hits in five at-bats, including his team-leading 12th double.
- Freshman left-hander Eric Orloff was charged with two runs but did not allow a hit in three innings of relief.
- Arizona has implemented radar-gun readings on the scoreboard in left field.
- UCLA’s roster features 5-foot-4 left fielder Kenny Oyama and 6-8 pitcher Alonzo Tredwell.
- The scheduled starters for Game 2 Saturday are right-hander Max Rajcic (2-2, 2.86 ERA) for UCLA and lefty Garrett Irvin (2-1 3.25) for Arizona.
