Home runs sink Arizona baseball in series opener at UCF
Arizona traveled a long way to get to its Big 12 series, and then watched its opponent hit the ball a long way out of the stadium over and over. Wildcat pitchers allowed four home runs in an 11-6 loss at UCF on Friday night in Orlando. It was the most homers yielded in a game since Game 1 of the Super Regionals last year at North Carolina.
Arizona (9-16, 2-5 Big 12) hit three homers of its own, getting a 2-run shot from Nate Novitske in the top of the 1 st , a solo homer by Carson McEntire in the 5 th and a 2-run bomb by Jackson Forbes in the 8 th . But the Knights (16-8, 6-1) took the lead for good with a 3-run 3 rd that included the first of two homers by John Smithill. Owen Kramkowski allowed six runs (five earned) in six innings, dropping to 1-3.
Relievers Maclain Roberts and Matthew Martinez didn’t do much better, each giving up a homer. Game 2 of the series is set for 3 p. m.
PT Saturday, with right-hander Smith Bailey on the mound.