Wildcats rally to beat Radford

Katherine K. Gardiner Arizona Daily Wildcat UA junior infielder Erik Mattern (16) takes a rip during yesterday's game against Radford University. Arizona beat the Highlanders, 5-4. The two schools meet today at 2:30 p.m. at Sancet Field.

The 21st-ranked Arizona baseball team beat Radford, 5-4 in the first of the two-game series.

Radford's Jason Anderson, a junior left-hander who is touted as a possible future first round draft choice, pitched a complete game allowing 12 hits, 5 walks, 4 earned runs and struck out two but UA's Kenny Corley wasn't fooled by the off-speed stuff. He was 3-for-5 with three doubles and two runs scored.

"There were a lot of heavy-duty scouts out here checking out this guy (Anderson)," UA head coach Jerry Stitt said. "He's really good. His fastball was running away, and that last slider to Kenny - not a lot of guys can hit that one. We were pleased that we could beat him because he's real good."

Arizona improved to 20-10 on the year, while the Highlanders fell to 7-9. UA junior reliever Ryan Moskau (2-2) picked up the win.

The Wildcats tralied 3-0 after two innings, but got to Anderson in the third.

Junior shortstop Jake Thrower blasted a double, scoring Omar Moraga and moving Erik Mattern, who led off the inning with back-to-back singles, to third.

Junior center fielder Diego Rico hit a sacrifice fly to deep center, scoring Mattern.

Arizona tied the game at three in the fifth, off right fielder Colin Porter's sacrifice fly to center that scored designated hitter Corley, who had doubled and advanced to third on a Jason Hendricks' single. Each team scored a run in the sixth to make it 4-4.

In the seventh, again the Corley-Porter combination broke the tie, this time for good.

Corley led off the inning with his third double, then moved to third on Hendricks' ground-out and scored on Porter's single.

"We played pretty well," Stitt said. "No errors and a couple of real nice defensive plays."

UA junior right-hander David Quick went 6 2/3 innings, allowing 10 hits, four runs, while walking only one and striking out three. Moskau pitched the remaining 2 1/3, allowing one hit while walking none and striking out two for the win.

"Moskau was Moskau," Stitt said. "He came in and basically slammed the door on them."

Arizona and Radford start today at 2:30 p.m. at Sancet Field. Freshman left-hander Tony Milo (1-0) will start for the Wildcats.

Sophomore right-hander Darrell Hussman was named the Pacific 10 Conference Southern Division pitcher of the week for his complete game win against No. 1 UCLA last Friday.

Against the Bruins he gave up five hits - only two after the first inning - while striking out seven and walking two.