The Arizona baseball team outlasted UT Pan American 5-2 yesterday at Sancet Stadium to earn its second straight sweep and fifth consecutive win. Arizona beat the Broncs 9-4 Saturday and 12-5 Friday.
For 6 1/2 innings, the Wildcats (21-15) and Broncs played to a one-run tie, Arizona scored four runs in its half of the seventh and held on for the win.
"We made it pretty interesting, but you have to give credit to their (pitcher)," head coach Andy Lopez said. "He was hitting his spot and changing speed. He did a really good job."
UTPA pitcher John Lopez held the Wildcats in check for six innings but came apart a little in the seventh. The Wildcats started the inning with walks to sophomore outfielder Trevor Crowe and sophomore left fielder Nick Hundley. Both runners advanced on wild pitches.
Senior designated hitter Moises Duran followed with an RBI single to score Crowe, and Hundley scored on a fielding error by the Broncs' left fielder.
Arizona got two more runs in the inning on sacrifice flies by junior second baseman John Hardy and sophomore third baseman Brad Boyer.
"We didn't make very good adjustments early in the game," Lopez said.
Junior Kevin Guyette (5-4) earned the win. He gave up one run on five hits in 7 1/3 innings. Freshman pitcher Mark Melancon picked up the final two outs in the eighth for Arizona.
"It seems like the whole year has been ups and down for me, and I'm ready to get rid of that," Guyette said. "It was very nice to get a good outing."
The Broncs scored a run in the eighth to close their deficit to 5-2, but they wouldn't get closer.
Junior Derek Rodriguez worked a perfect ninth inning to get his seventh save of the season.
The Wildcats' first run came in the second inning. Junior catcher Richard Mercado led off the inning with his second triple of the year, a line drive over the right fielder's head. Mercado scored on a fielder's choice by Crowe.
UT Pan Am responded with a run in the third on three straight two-out singles.
"We've got a lot of confidence right now," Guyette said. "Our hitters are starting to do what they are capable of doing and our pitchers are continuing to do well."
Saturday, Arizona scored nine runs in the game's first three innings to cruise to the five-run win.
With the score tied 1-1 after the first inning, the Wildcats used four hits and three Bronc errors to score five in the bottom of the second.
Junior Koley Kolberg (6-2) earned the win for Arizona, giving up four runs - three earned - in seven innings. He struck out seven.
It was Kolberg's second win of the week. He picked up his first against UNLV Tuesday in Las Vegas.
Senior Scott Burns worked the game's final two innings without allowing a hit.
Freshman shortstop Jason Donald led the Wildcat offense, going 4-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Hardy,
freshman left fielder Bill Rhinehart and sophomore first baseman Jordan Brown added two hits and two RBIs apiece for Arizona.
Sophomore John Meloan (3-0) struck out a career-high 10 batters in just his second start of the season to earn the win as Arizona routed UTPA on Friday.
Meloan worked eight innings before giving way to freshman Brad Mills in the ninth.
Neither pitcher gave up a walk, marking the first time this season Arizona pitchers have not walked a batter in a game.
All nine starters picked up at least one base hit in the win, with Boyer hitting two doubles and Rhinehart smacking his fourth home run of the year.
The Wildcats resume Pac-10 play this weekend when they travel to Seattle to face Washington.
"Our season will be determined by how we do in the next five weeks, and hopefully we're ready," Lopez said.