CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat After a down weekend at UCLA that led to Arizona dropping from the rankings, the Wildcats will look to get back on track against Miami (OH) tonight at 7p.m.

The first two weekends of the Pac-10 schedule were at opposite ends of the spectrum for the Arizona baseball team.

The Wildcats won two out of three against Southern California on March 22÷24 in the conference opener, ran their record to 21-8 and garnered a No. 17 ranking in the Collegiate Baseball Poll.

But the high didn't last long.

What: UA vs. Miami (Ohio) Time: Friday, 7 p.m. Saturday, 7 p.m. Sunday, 1 p.m. Where: Sancet Field

Last weekend, UA dropped two games on the road versus UCLA, fell out of the Baseball America Poll and sank in the other two polls.

"I'm not that disappointed," head coach Andy Lopez said. "We're banged up. If we're completely healthy I'd be very disappointed."

Injured indeed. Four Wildcat starters have played through a variety of ailments, none more damaging than the injury to Terrence Taylor. The centerfielder, who leads the team with a .438 average in eight starts, twisted an ankle in late March, a problem that should not hinder his performance.

Meanwhile, the parade of injuries continues. Catcher Nick Hundley tweaked his catching thumb, second baseman Moises Duran twisted a knee and outfielder Jeff Van Houten got plunked in the ribs.

All are listed as day-to-day for this weekend's series against Miami Ohio.

"This helps tremendously because it gives some guys a chance to heal up," Lopez said.

But No. 21 Arizona (22-10, 3-3) is still trying to get its rotation set.

For starters, freshman Kevin Guyette pitched his way into the rotation and scrambled the weekly schedule.

Last weekend, Lopez held out junior Sean Rierson, and this week junior Joe Little will miss the last two games of this weekend to attend his sister's wedding.

Tonight junior Richie Gardner will get the start with Little slated to close out the game. It marks the second straight week Gardner will not pitch on Sunday, his normal day.

"It really doesn't affect me at all to be starting on different days. It's just a different day," Gardner said. "I'm just going to go out there and throw strikes."

But the looming question of the season has been the closer's carousel. No one has proven he can hold the role, as relievers John Meloan, Wes Zlotoff, Mark Worrell and Brian Pemble each have had a turn.

Lopez said Pemble is the leading candidate now for not allowing a run in the last three innings of last Sunday's game against the Bruins.

Gardner (6-1, 3.19 ERA) takes the mound tonight while Guyette (2-1, 1.91) gets the start tomorrow. Rierson (5-1, 5.81) will close out the series.

Tonight and tomorrow's games against the Redhawks (11-12-1) begin at 7 p.m. with the series finale starting at 1 p.m. Sunday.

All games are at Sancet Field.