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 11th, 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 9th 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 2nd with a 447-foot solo homer to right center, his 6th 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 3rd.
Left-hander Patrick Morris had his first start for Arizona, allowing one run and three hits, before Corey Kling followed with three scoreless frames. The 7th got hairy, as Maclain Roberts hit a batter and gave up a single before unleashing a wild pitch to put the tying runs in scoring position, but Benton Hickman came on with 1 out and got a strikeout and a groundout around an intentional walk to Hairston.
ASU tied it in the 8th on a 2-run homer by Nu’u Contrades off Collin McKinney. Hicks came on in the 9th and went the rest of the way, allowing two hits and a walk with three strikeouts including one of Hairston with a runner on and 1 out in the 9th.
Arizona got two on in the 10th but couldn’t score, then in the 11th Lira led off with double over third baseman Dominic Longo and came home on Cain’s double on the first pitch he saw.
“I expected them to try to get me to strike out; my plan was to get him over to third, but hitting a double in the gap was even better,” Cain said.
Cain was on 3rd with 1 out when ASU attempted a pickoff throw that got past Longo, allowing Cain to score an insurance run.
In the bottom of the 11th, Hicks struck out the first batter before giving up back-to-back singles. He then induced back-to-back fly outs, getting Hairston to fly out on the first pitch.
Hale said he considered intentionally walking Hairston, who has 23 home runs and 65 RBI, to load the bases. Hicks is glad that didn’t happen.
“I would be really mad because I’m a competitor, and I want to face one of the best hitters in the country,” said Hicks, who picked up two saves at TCU and has thrown 11.1 consecutive scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts. “I’m glad he let me face him.”
Arizona returns to Big 12 action with a home series beginning Friday against Kansas State. The Wildcats are 5-10 in league play, one game outside the top 12 that make the Big 12 Tournament next month in Surprise.
“I still think there’s a lot of meat on the bone,” Hale said. “This is where it starts, it starts with some momentum, and knowing you can win these close games. We’ve won a couple of them, now we got to do it on Friday.”
