Arizona baseball beats ASU in 11 innings for 4th win in last 5
PHOENIX—The chances of Arizona making it to the NCAA Tournament for a sixth straight season are slim, but they’re not zero. And if that longshot happens, games like Monday will be the reason why. The Wildcats knocked off No.
20 ASU 5-3 in 11 innings at Phoenix Municipal Stadium for their fourth win in the last five games. Three of those have come on the road, including a pair of victories over the weekend at Big 12 preseason favorite TCU. “We’re learning how to win in tough situations,” UA coach Chip Hale said.
“We’ve had games all year where we’ve had these same opportunities and we’ve let it slip through our fingers. ” Arizona (14-22) scored twice in the top of the 11 th , with Andrew Cain driving in Tony Lira for the game-winning run on a double before later scoring on a throwing error. Garrett Hicks then retired Division I home run leader Landon Hairston with the tying runs on in the bottom of the inning to secure the Wildcats’ second win in five tries this season against ASU (26-12).
“We’re a young team that’s figuring out ways to win,” said Cain, who was 3 for 5 with a home run and two RBI. “Just finding ways to win, whether it’s in the 9 th coming back, or had a lead the whole game today and had to figure out how to do it again in the 11th. ” Arizona jumped out to a 3-0 lead by playing ASU’s brand of ball in its hitter-friendly park.
Cain opened the top of the 2 nd with a 447-foot solo homer to right center, his 6 th homer (out of 16 for his career) against the Sun Devils. Two batters later Beau Sylvester parked one over the UA bullpen in left, then Nate Novitske homered in the 3 rd . Left-hander Patrick Morris had his first start for Arizona, allowing one run and three hits, before Corey Kling followed with three scoreless frames.