The Arizona Wildcats appear to have caught a break regarding senior center fielder Cal Stevenson’s injured right hand.
There is no break.
Stevenson had to leave Arizona’s game at USC in the first inning Sunday after getting hit in the hand with a pitch. He sat out the UA’s 6-1 victory over BYU (18-16) on Tuesday at Hi Corbett Field, but the injury shouldn’t keep the Wildcats’ leadoff hitter out for long.
“We were able to put him to the side and … let the swelling go down,” UA coach Jay Johnson said. “Hopefully a couple more days of that and he’ll be good to go.”
Entering Tuesday, Stevenson ranked first on the team in stolen bases (five), second in runs (33) and walks (20) and third in on-base percentage (.446). Johnson described him as the Wildcats’ “point guard” — the player who sets up the offense for everyone else.
The Cats experienced life without Stevenson for at least one game, and it barely fazed them. Arizona received contributions from almost everyone in its lineup and a career performance from starting pitcher Juan Aguilera.
The senior right-hander did not allow a run in a career-high seven innings. He allowed only two hits, both singles, and walked one. He struck out two Cougars and threw 55 of 86 pitches for strikes. Aguilera lowered his season ERA to 1.17.
“This was probably the best I’ve ever felt,” said Aguilera, who improved to 5-0.
Sophomore Matt Fraizer, Arizona’s starting right fielder, took Stevenson’s spot in center and atop the order. Fraizer went 2 for 4, including a two-RBI single in the Wildcats’ four-run fourth inning.
Fraizer has improved steadily this season. On March 11, he was batting .178. Now he’s hitting .278.
“He’s helped us win, and that’s his job,” Johnson said. “That’s been his job from the outset.
“What he has brought to our team hasn’t necessarily shown up in the stats. But at the same time, his value’s been very noticeable. He’s improving, and that’s what it’s all about.”
The bottom of the lineup also chipped in. No. 8 hitter Donta Williams had a single and scored a run. No. 9 hitter Jacob Blas had two hits and two RBIs.
Arizona won for the 11th time in its past 13 games. The Wildcats again came out focused for a midweek game that could have been a trap.
The Wildcats beat the Trojans, mostly without Stevenson, on Sunday to win the series. Arizona hosts Pac-12 leader Stanford this weekend.
The Wildcats faced a similar situation last week. Arizona rallied to defeat then-No. 5 Oregon State in a walk-off. Two days later, the UA pummeled Grand Canyon 16-1.
“The best part of last night was our players’ readiness to play,” Johnson said after the Wildcats’ midweek thrashing of GCU last week. “It’s one of those, if you want to call it, ‘trap’ situations where you’re coming off a highly emotional weekend and whatnot.
“It was hot up there during batting practice. We actually got stuck in traffic. My mind’s going, ‘I hope we’re going to be ready to play.’ I was sitting on the bench in the bottom of the third inning going, ‘Gosh, when are you ever up 10-0 in the third?’ If we could do that more often, it’d be great.”
The Wildcats were up 6-0 through four Tuesday, and that proved to be more than enough.
Inside pitch
- UA left-hander Randy Labaut is making progress in his recovery from surgery for compartment syndrome in his left leg. Labaut’s leg is no longer in a cast, and he threw from his knees Monday. Labaut was ruled out for the season after undergoing emergency surgery March 18. The redshirt sophomore had a 1.71 ERA in seven appearances, including five starts.
- Former UA coach Andy Lopez will serve as the Pac-12 Networks color analyst for the Wildcats’ next two weekend home series, vs. Stanford (Friday-Sunday) and UCLA (May 3-5). Lopez also will participate in the pregame ceremony Saturday to honor the late Jerry Kindall.
- Stanford entered this week No. 2 in RPI. The Cardinal is No. 3 in Baseball America’s Top 25 and No. 2 in D1Baseball.com’s rankings.
- D1Baseball.com has Arizona as a No. 2 seed playing in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in its latest projection of the NCAA Tournament field of 64.
