Arizona’s bats never awakened Friday morning, and now the Wildcats’ lead in the Pac-12 Conference is down to one game.
Arizona managed just three hits in a 6-1 loss to Utah in the opener of a three-game series at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City.
Senior left-hander Bryson Van Sickle threw a complete game for the Utes, who improved to 31-16, 16-9 in the Pac-12. The Wildcats, who had won four in a row, fell to 30-18, 17-8.
Van Sickle and counterpart Jackson Kent posted zeroes entering the bottom of the fourth. Outfielder Karson Bodily gave the Utes the lead with a two-run homer to left. Arizona left fielder TJ Adams slammed into the wall chasing the ball and had to leave the game because of an apparent shoulder injury.
Adams’ replacement, Brandon Rogers, hit a solo homer to left in the top of the fifth to make it 2-1. It was Rogers’ first home run as a Wildcat.
Utah answered with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. The Utes tacked on single runs in the sixth and seventh.
Besides Rogers, the only two UA players to register hits were Emilio Corona (triple in the fourth) and Richie Morales (single in the eighth). Morales, who’d been out since April 13 because of a sinus fracture, played DH and batted leadoff.
Van Sickle (4-1) struck out eight batters and walked two in logging his second complete game of the season as Arizona continues to struggle against lefties with effective changeups.
Kent (3-2) allowed five runs (four earned) in six innings.
Bodily went 2 for 3 with three RBIs. Teammate Drake Digiorno went 3 for 4 with two runs scored.
Clark Candiotti (5-2, 2.93 ERA), the reigning Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week, is slated to face Utah’s Merit Jones (3-3, 5.02) in Game 2 Saturday. First pitch will again be at 11 a.m. local time, 10 a.m. in Tucson.
Arizona hitting coach Toby DeMello discusses in-season adjustments, how he's tried to help Emilio Corona and Andrew Cain's success as a true freshman (video by Michael Lev / Arizona Daily Star)
