The Arizona baseball team won its second series of the year but lost one of its important components - center fielder and closer Brian Anderson.

The sophomore sprained his knee when he tried to steal third base and was thrown out in the third inning yesterday. After the game, Anderson was on crutches and will tentatively miss three to four weeks, head coach Andy Lopez said.

"We're going to need a couple of guys to pick up the slack on both ends because Anderson's a two-way guy," he said. "Anderson's a very big piece of the puzzle, but injuries occur over the course of the season."

Arizona (5-1) went on to lose the game to Utah (2-4) 7-5 in 10 innings.

In the bottom of the ninth, with UA down 5-4, freshman first baseman Will Thompson drew a walk.

Freshman Chris Marini came on to pinch run and freshman John Hardy moved him to second on a sacrifice bunt.

Senior shortstop Brad Hassey singled to left to bring home Marini and tie the score.

"I knew he was going to go with the changeup, and I was trying to keep my weight back just enough to get the ball through the (infield) hole," Hassey said.

In the 10th, sophomore pitcher Tony Sulser came on in relief and immediately walked Utah shortstop Brett Baldwin. Baldwin would advance to third on Sulser's throwing error to first on catcher Donald Hawes' sacrifice attempt.

After an intentional walk, a strikeout and a force out at home, Utah right fielder Brit Pannier singled home two runs and dealt UA its first loss of the season.

"It's a 56-game schedule and sometimes, things aren't going to break your way, but the sign of a good team is you can put it to bed and get up in the morning and play your hardest," Lopez said.

Saturday, Arizona pounded the Utes 17-5, thanks to an eight-run third and a seven-run seventh.

In the seventh, Hardy's grand slam buried Utah as five Wildcat hitters enjoyed multi-hit days. Hardy also had a two-run double in the third to finish the day 3-for-5 with seven RBIs.

Sophomore pitcher Joe Little had nine strikeouts in seven innings. Little, who took a line drive to the head on Jan. 27, fully recovered from the injury and made his regularly scheduled start.

Friday, the Wildcats won the opener 3-0 behind a shutout performance by a pitching committee.

Sophomore staff ace Sean Rierson went six innings and gave up four hits. Sophomore pitcher Chris Goodman worked two innings and gave way to the closer, Anderson. He then retired the side in the ninth for his first save of the season.

"We're going to produce some runs, but as pitchers, we have to know that we need to keep other teams to a minimum," Rierson said.

Arizona scratched out three runs on seven hits behind designated hitter Rick Mercado's collegiate debut.

The freshman stretched out a single into a double as he barely slid underneath the tag of Utah second baseman Adam Castleton.

"Coach Lopez always tells us to be aggressive and to not be afraid to make mistakes, so I took a chance," Mercado said.

Senior left fielder Justyn St. Clair singled Mercado home to take the early 1-0 lead and Arizona later added insurance runs in the third and fifth innings.

Mercado added another double to finish the day 2-for-4.

Goodman will get the start today when Arizona opens a two-game series against Southern Utah (0-4) at Sancet Field at 3 p.m.