By
Maxx Wolfson
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Wildcats defense carrying team despite offensive success
The Arizona baseball team has been a dominating force on offense this year. The Wildcats are leading the Pacific 10 Conference in runs scored (381), hits (553), RBIs (340) and triples (27).
But, according to UA head coach Jerry Stitt, it has been the Wildcats' defense that's kept UA in the middle of the conference race.
In Sunday's comeback victory against California at Sancet Field, Arizona's defense made the difference in the end. UA threw out two runners from the outfield to prevent runs.
"We just played good defense all-around," Stitt said.
In the eighth inning, Cal - ahead 11-7 - was looking for an insurance run before pinch runner Rick Medrano was gunned down at the plate.
Cal first baseman Clint Hoover doubled a ball deep to left field, and Medrano came from first base to try to score.
The relay - started by junior Justyn St. Clair, who went to junior shortstop Brad Hassey and then continued to sophomore catcher Ken Riley - was done perfectly to get Medrano on the plate.
The out ended the eighth inning and prevented Cal from going up by five runs.
"That was just huge," Stitt said. "That's one of those things that don't seem big at the time but it ended up being the game saver."
The first outfield relay happened in the first inning and got Arizona freshman starting pitcher Chris Goodman out of a rough inning.
Cal second baseman Carson White singled to third base to advance Brian Horwitz who was on second.
It looked like Horwitz was going to score the Golden Bears' second run of the inning, but the relay throw by junior left fielder Kenny Huff to senior third baseman Erik Torres and then on to junior catcher Chris Cunningham caught Horwitz at the plate.
ooo
UA freshman center fielder Brian Anderson did double duty in Sunday's victory, playing center field and winning his first game on the mound.
Anderson not only shut down the Cal offense in the ninth and 10th innings but went 4 for 5 in the game.
Despite throwing two scoreless innings, Stitt said he isn't ready to take the freshman out of the outfield anytime soon.
"We don't want to take him out of center field because he is so good out there, but we needed his arm (Sunday)," Stitt said. "He pitched strikes and got zeros."
Anderson not only got the win on the mound, but had the game-winning hit on a single up the middle to score right fielder Shelley Duncan in the bottom of the 10th.
Anderson, who prepped at nearby Canyon Del Oro High School - the same high school as Duncan - has taken advantage of the four innings he has pitched this season, allowing only one run and two hits.
"I like playing center and I like pitching, but you really can't do both or your arm will fall off," Anderson said. "(UA pitching coach) Bill Kinneberg gives me a chance once in a while."
