Arizona’s dormant offense came to life, and the Wildcats’ bullpen came through repeatedly as the UA defeated Arizona State 14-3 Sunday at Hi Corbett Field to avert a sweep and end a four-game losing streak.
The Wildcats (8-10, 3-3 Pac-12) had dropped five consecutive conference games against the Sun Devils (9-10, 3-3). Arizona’s 20-0 win over ASU last year came in a nonconference contest.
The Wildcats’ 14 runs nearly tripled their total (five) from the previous four games combined. Their 20 hits were seven more than they accumulated during the skid (13).
“Toby did an unbelievable job of getting them ready today,” UA coach Chip Hale said, referring to hitting coach Toby DeMello. “We had a long talk about what we need to do, be more aggressive and take the fight to them. We had a really good BP; we had more of a focused BP.”
After managing only one hit in a 4-0 loss Saturday night, Arizona scored five runs on seven hits in the second inning to take a 5-0 lead. ASU answered with three runs in the top of the third, chasing UA starter Cam Walty. It was the first time since Feb. 25 that a UA weekend starter failed to pitch at least five innings.
Dawson Netz stranded a runner in the third, and Casey Hintz stranded two in the fourth. Trevor Long matched Hintz with 1⅔ scoreless innings and was credited with the win. In all, six relievers combined for 6⅓ shutout innings.
Entering Sunday, UA pitchers other than Jackson Kent, Clark Candiotti and Walty — the weekend trio — had a 1-8 record and a 7.05 ERA.
“They were great,” said DH Maddox Mihalakis, who had a career-high four hits in five at-bats. “They all came in and did their job.”
Arizona expanded its lead in the fourth and fifth innings, scoring a pair of runs in each frame, before blowing it open with a five-run seventh to make it 14-3.
Mihalakis and Easton Breyfogle each had four hits. Garen Caulfield had three hits and three RBIs. Richie Morales also had three RBIs. Emilio Corona hit a solo home run, the only homer of the series by either team.
Inside pitch
• ASU coach Willie Bloomquist was ejected in the bottom of the fifth inning. Bloomquist challenged a forceout at second base, seeking an interference call. The out call was upheld, but Bloomquist kept arguing with the umpires. Second base ump William V. Raaphorst then tossed him. Bloomquist said after the game that he never got a sufficient explanation of the replay ruling.
• The announced attendance was 4,369, bumping the total for the three-game series to 14,330.
• Right-hander Anthony “Tonko” Susac will start for Arizona against Grand Canyon on Tuesday. "We've got everybody available," Hale said. No reliever used Sunday threw more than 27 pitches.
