CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Senior pitcher Wes Zlotoff delivers a pitch earlier this week against Portland. Yesterday Arizona shut out Wagner 15-0.

If you're not familiar with Wagner college, (enrollment 2,150), you're not alone. Neither are most of the Wildcats.

"I had never heard of it before," center fielder Terrence Taylor said.

But that didn't stop Arizona (15-7) from getting to know the visiting Seahawks by pasting a 15-0 loss on their guests from Staten Island, N.Y.

Wagner (0-6) starting pitcher Robert Kostic (0-3) received a particularly harsh Sancet Field welcome, getting shelled for seven runs ÷ all earned ÷ on five hits and four walks before coming out of the game after two-thirds of an inning.

The seven-run lead turned out to be more than enough for Arizona starter Richie Gardner (4-0), and the rout was on. Gardner fanned eight Seahawk batters through six innings of scoreless ball, allowing four hits and walking two to remain undefeated.

"Gardner was outstanding," head coach Andy Lopez said. "Pitching sets the tempo, and he set a great tempo for us. It's easy to play when a guy throws like that."

Gardner continued to show no ill signs of the stress fracture in his right foot, an injury he has pitched through for much of the year.

But the story of the day was outfielder Terrence Taylor's performance in his first career start after becoming eligible last week. Taylor, who transferred from College of Marin JC (Calif.), went 4-for-6 at the plate with four RBIs, two runs scored and two stolen bases. The junior even came close to a rare in-the-park home run in the fifth, but he was held up at third.

"I was thinking about (scoring)," Taylor said. "But my legs started getting a little bit tired coming around third and I saw (the third base coach) put his hands up, so I slowed down. I think I probably could have had it."

The Arizona offense didn't stop with Taylor, however. Sophomore catcher Richard Mercado continued his recent hot streak, batting 3-for-5 and scoring four runs. Junior Brian Anderson, who made the switch to right field with Taylor in center, kept his 22-game hitting streak alive by legging out an infield single.

Likewise, the Wildcat pitching staff received more than one solid effort in the win. Senior Brian Pemble relieved Gardner and tossed two scoreless innings, giving up one hit. The Tucson native struck out five Seahawks, many of whom fell prey to Pemble's sharp curve ball. Sophomore Derek Rodriguez iced the shutout with a scoreless ninth.

Factor in an errorless performance by the UA defense, and Lopez said his team is progressing toward his goals for the season.

"I hope we will establish ourselves as a here pretty quickly as a pitching club, a defensive club and a club that puts pressure on opponents to play catch," Lopez said.

Wagner gets another crack at the Wildcats tonight at 7 in the second of three games slated for the series. Junior Joe Little (3-2) will make the start for Arizona. The southpaw will look to rebound from his last outing, when he took a five-hit shutout into the ninth inning at defending national champion Texas before allowing a homer and leaving the game. The Wildcats eventually lost that game, 3-2, with Little receiving a no decision.