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For the second game in a row, Arizona was down to its last out before finding a way to force extra innings. And like Friday night it took a lead in extras.
But recent history wasn’t fully repeated.
Utah scored twice in the bottom of the 10th inning to walk off the Wildcats 7-6 on Saturday afternoon in Salt Lake City. Arizona beat the Utes in 11 innings on Friday in the series opener.
The UA (7-11, 1-1 Big 12) had taken a 6-5 lead in the top of the 10th on a solo home run by Jackson Forbes. That was after the Wildcats tied it with two outs in the 9th on a RBI single by Roman Meyers, the second consecutive game they rallied in their final at-bat to force extra innings.
Utah (10-6, 1-1) tied the game on a 1-out RBI single by Cam Gurney, who then stole second and went to third on a wild throw by UA catcher Beau Sylvester. Arizona committed three errors, two of which led to runs for the opponent.
The Utes won it on a fielder’s choice, a bouncer to third not fielded cleanly by Nate Novitske who was playing up, and his throw home was late.
Arizona had 12 hits but also struck out 17 times, including several times to end innings with runners in scoring position. The Wildcats hit over .500 on balls put in play.
Smith Bailey allowed four runs in the bottom of the 1st, the first time in 23 career starts he’d given up multiple runs in the opening frame. The damage started with a leadoff walk, followed by a stolen base, RBI single, sac bunt, RBI double and 2-run home run.
Arizona answered immediately, getting three in the 2nd on consecutive 2-out hits by freshmen Jackson Forbes, Cash Brennan and Nate Novitske.
Bailey settled down after the rough start, retiring 11 in a row before Brennan booted a bouncer at short in the 5th. That runner would come around to score after a stolen base, sac bunt and sac fly.
Bailey would go 5.1 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits with a walk and four strikeouts, leaving with runners on 2nd and 3rd and the UA down 5-3. Maclain Roberts would escape that jam with a strikeout and fly out then throw three more scoreless innings to allow for the late comeback.
Arizona got within a run on an RBI single in the 7th by Maddox Mihalakis, who has 12 hits during a 6-game hitting streak.
The Wildcats will go for the series win Sunday at 12 p.m. PT with lefty Luc Fladda on the mound. Fladda 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in 20 innings this season.
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