Arizona Wildcats win opener as Jackson Kent, Raul Garayzar shut down No. 23 Northeastern

New uniforms. New approach. Better results.

The Arizona baseball team debuted its powder-blue unis Friday night. It was also the first game for the pitching staff under new-school coaches Kevin Vance and John DeRouin.

So far, so great. Jackson Kent and Raul Garayzar limited No. 23 Northeastern to four hits as the Wildcats defeated the Huskies 6-1 in front of an announced crowd of 3,165 at Hi Corbett Field.

Arizona improved to 3-0 in season openers under Chip Hale. Friday marked the Wildcats’ first win under Hale in a home opener.

“I told my wife this morning, ‘I'm on my 60th year of living and I still get really nervous and antsy about opening days,’ ” Hale said. “Doesn't matter where you're at.”

Kent, a third-year left-hander, seemed a little shaky in the first inning. He allowed base hits to the first two batters he faced, hit one and committed a balk when his cleat got stuck on the mound.

But an inning-ending double play in which Kent was involved turned things around. With runners on second and third, first baseman Tommy Splaine caught a popup in foul territory. He then threw home. The ball skipped past catcher Adonys Guzman. Kent was in position to back up the play, and he threw out Mike Sirota, who had ambled down the line.

“I think it settled everyone down,” said Kent, who earned his first collegiate victory. “Everyone was a little antsy.”

Kent allowed just two hits over the next five innings. He finished with a career-high eight strikeouts.

“It was expected,” said right fielder Emilio Corona, who went 2 for 4 with a two-run homer and three RBIs. “We all have a ton of confidence (in him); everyone in that dugout does. He ran into a little hiccup in the first inning. But there was no doubt or panic in anyone's mind.”

Kent passed the baton to Garayzar, who pitched three hitless innings to record his first career save in his UA debut. The right-hander struck out four batters and didn’t walk any.

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“He's just tough,” Corona said of Garayzar, who came to Arizona from South Mountain Community College after prepping at Rio Rico High School.

“He's a tough at-bat. He's got so much confidence in himself and his stuff that he's just going to attack you. If you aren't ready to go, you're gonna see what happens.”

Arizona scored five of its six runs in the first three innings, with Corona driving in three of them.

Inside pitch

• Arizona started two true freshmen, center fielder Easton Breyfogle and DH Andrew Cain (Ironwood Ridge High School). Both notched their first career hits. Breyfogle tripled to left in his first at-bat. Cain singled to left in his third plate appearance.

• The Wildcats last started two true freshmen in a season opener in 2021, when their lineup featured Jacob Berry and Daniel Susac.

• The probable starters in Game 2 Saturday are right-hander Dennis Colleran for Northeastern and righty Clark Candiotti for Arizona. Colleran did not pitch last season because of injury. Candiotti went 7-4 with a 4.87 ERA at Wichita State.

• Kent on the new uniforms: “I like them a lot. Everyone's giving us a bunch of whatever about it, but I think it fits us really well. It looks really cool. Everyone's doing baby blues now, and I think we rep it really well.”

• Former UA Golden Spikes Award winner Terry Francona attended the game. Francona retired from managing the Cleveland Guardians last October.

• Friday also saw the grand opening of the new team store at Hi Corbett. The store features a mural by local artist Rock Martinez, who signed prints outside the store and threw the ceremonial first pitch.

Photos: Arizona wins 6-1 against the Northeastern Huskies on opening night, college baseball