Something has to give when the No. 16 Arizona baseball team meets No. 15 Baylor this weekend in Waco, Texas.
Both the Wildcats (5-4-1) and the Bears (3-4) find themselves in a slump coming into today's 5 p.m. (6 p.m. Texas time) contest.
The Wildcats won their first five games of the season, but are on a five-game winless streak after dropping Tuesday's game to Arizona State. The Wildcats lost twice and tied once against UC Irvine last weekend, and fell to Cal State Fullerton in the final game of a three-game set two weekends ago.
"We haven't been playing as a team," said junior catcher Richard Mercado. "We're playing pretty flat and uninspired baseball."
"This club is confident," said assistant coach Mark Wasikowski. "Nobody wants to lose a game, but baseball is a game of managing it when it goes good and when it goes bad."
Baylor is in a similar rut. The Bears have lost their last three games, including a sweep at the hands of Long Beach State in southern California last weekend.
Both teams fell three spots in the Baseball America poll last week.
The trip to Waco will be the team's first weekend road trip ÷ a welcome change for some Wildcats.
"A change of scenery might help us out," Mercado said. "Going to a competitive environment, hopefully, will bring out the best in us."
The primary reason for the Wildcats' struggles has been the shortage of offensive output. The team's batting average has dropped 32 points to .309 in the last week. Arizona has left 34 runners on base, including 18 in scoring position, in that span.
The team has scored nearly six fewer runs per game during its winless streak than it did in its first five games of the year.
Baylor has had even more problems at the plate. The Bears are batting just .225 on the year and are averaging just over three runs per game.
Arizona has improved its relief pitching, though. Against ASU, the Wildcats got six shutout innings out of their bullpen; and last weekend, sophomore reliever Pat Lawler threw 6.1 scoreless innings against Irvine.
Junior Koley Kolberg will start today for the Wildcats with sophomore Luis Cortez going tomorrow. Arizona's Sunday starter has not been determined.
Baylor took two of three from Arizona in a Tucson series last season.
The teams meet tomorrow at 11 a.m. and Sunday at noon. All games take place at Baylor Ballpark.