Pitchers rule weekend for UA

Brian D. Rothschild Arizona Daily Wildcat UA pitcher Rob Shabansky threw his first career shutout during yesterday's victory over California. UA beat the Golden Bears 5-0, and completed the season sweep. UA won all three weekend games by shutout.

The No. 25 Wildcats did not allow a run in the three-game series with Cal including yesterday's 5-0 victory at Sancet Field. The last time the Wildcats threw back-to-back-to-back shutouts was 1973.

The record for runs allowed by Arizona in a series had previously been six, which had occurred twice, the most recently in 1985. This is also the fourth time that Arizona has completed a season series sweep in the Six-Pac.

The Wildcats (28-16, 11-7 in the Pacific 10 Conference Southern Division) allowed only two extra base hits over the weekend, and entered the series with just four conference shut outs in their 18 1/2 years in the Six-Pac.

Arizona rode the arm of sophomore left-hander Rob Shabansky (7-3) yesterday, who went the distance, allowing just seven hits and one walking while striking out five batters in his first-career complete game.

Shabansky followed stellar performances by sophomore left-hander James Johnson and sophomore right-hander Darrell Hussman. Johnson (4-4) went seven innings, allowing three hits and four walks while striking out seven in Satuday's 12-0 win. Hussman (4-4) walked two batters while striking out a career-high 10 batters and scattered four singles in his 2-0 shutout Friday against the last-place Golden Bears (13-26, 1-17 in the Six-Pac). Hussman's win was UA's first conference shutout in five years.

"I wasn't so much nervous about following up James and Darrell," Shabansky said. "I just wanted to get a sweep of the series and pitch well."

Shabansky hit his only rough spot in the seventh inning, when Cal freshman Juan Hernandez hit a double and reached third base on a fly ball to center, the second out of the inning. Hernandez was just the second Cal runner to reach third base in the series.

"I really wanted to finish this one out," Shabansky said. "I really had to bear down and get outs."

Shabansky escaped the inning with a strikeout of third baseman Kevin Johnson.

Running out of gas, Shabansky started the eight and ninth inning on guts alone and put the Bears down in order.

"He was on fumes without a station in sight." Arizona head coach Jerry Stitt said of Shabansky's late inning performance, "But he hung tough."

Arizona got on the scoreboard when junior shortstop Jake Thrower started the third inning with a single to right. Junior center fielder Diego Rico followed Thrower with a bunt, and reached base on a throwing error by the pitcher. With runners on first and second, the Wildcats pulled a double steal and Thrower scored when the throw from the catcher went over the third baseman's head. Junior first baseman Kenny Corley ripped a double down the third base line, scoring Rico, and then came around to score on junior designated hitter Tom King's single.

Arizona added two insurance runs in the sixth.

The pitchers were assisted all week strong defensive games, especially by the play of sophomore third baseman Omar Moraga.

"Omar is unbelievable," Stitt said. "Any one that knows a little about baseball, on those slow rollers that came up on him, most guys would just box them."

Moraga also did his part at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a pair of singles, a RBI double in the sixth, and a run scored.

"I feel confident," Moraga said. "I feel like I have more range with our pitching, and can play defense behind our pitching because they are doing so well."