Offense explodes in season opener

Ian Mayer Arizona Daily Wildcat Senior first baseman Kenny Corely (33) tries to complete a double play yesterday afternoon against Cal-State Northridge at Sancet Field. The Wildcats went on to defeat the Matadors 15-12 in their season opener.

He may need to change two of those.

The Wildcats won a wild season opener 15-12 over Cal-State Northridge yesterday afternoon at Frank Sancet Field.

As the temperature dropped the score went up, with a run scored in every inning.

"It was an ugly one, but we'll take it," UA senior first baseman Kenny Corley said.

The game featured a combined 27 runs, 29 hits and nine errors - five by UA and four by the Matadors.

Four pitchers saw action for each team, with only two not giving up at least one run.

"A win is always good," Stitt said after the game. "We played good at times. We played not so good at times."

The game was close going into the eighth inning, when UA junior closer Ryan Moskau came in and shut the door for good.

Moskau pitched two scoreless innings, striking out three and ending a minor threat by the Matadors in the top of the eighth.

"The first inning felt real good for me," Moskau said. "I lost focus in the second, but I got it back and closed it out."

The game began with Arizona scoring eight runs in the first two innings, highlighted by a barrage of RBI doubles by third baseman Omar Moraga, Corley and left fielder Jason Hendricks.

Arizona was enjoying its 8-1 lead when the Matadors seemed to wake up from their winter slumber. Junior southpaw James Johnson was the unfortunate victim on the mound for UA at the time.

Just after the Wildcats went through 10 batters in the bottom of the second, Northridge did the same, scoring five runs on two hits.

Two errors, one by Corley and one by center fielder Jason Shroyer, led to four unearned runs.

"I think everyone was kind of nervous," Moraga said. "You could feel it in the dugout before the game."

The Matadors scored two more runs in the top of the fourth to tie the game at eight. That would be their last shining moment.

UA senior Colin Porter stepped to the plate in the bottom of the fourth with Corley on first and hit the ball hard - real hard.

He hit it to right field. Out by the scoreboard to be exact, putting UA on top, 10-8. It would be a lead the Wildcats would never relinquish.

Porter was 2 for 5 on the day with four RBI on the homer and two sacrifices.

A sacrifice RBI by Shroyer made the lead 11-8. For the game, he drove in three runs on a triple and two sacrifice flies.

Moraga then did his best Porter imitation by hitting another ball out by the scoreboard.

"I just put the bat on the ball today," Moraga said. "I saw the ball real well."

Moraga was 3 for 5 for the game, missing the cycle by a triple. He drove in four runs on the night.

"I was real comfortable at the plate," he said. "It was just me and the ball out there."

Stitt added praise for his third baseman.

"Omar was awesome today," Stitt said. "He made that double play that saved us in the fifth, but he also had that error in the third that hurt us. It was a good and bad day."

The Wildcats scored twice more in the sixth, extending the lead to 14-8.

Northridge first baseman Adrian Mendoza crushed a three-run shot off the scoreboard to cut UA's lead to 14-12 in the seventh.

The Matadors drove the Wildcats' third pitcher, Dave Abbott, from the game in the top of the eighth on a single by Hill. At that point Moskau came in and ended the threat.

UA left-hander Tony Milo got the win, coming in for Johnson in the third and pitching 3 1/3 innings. He gave up two runs on six hits and walked one, while striking out four.

Moskau picked up the save. He had six last season to lead the team.

UA senior second baseman Erik Mattern scored four runs while going 3 for 5 at the plate with two doubles and an RBI.

The Wildcats and Matadors square off again tomorrow at Sancet Field at 3 p.m. Arizona then gets one day off before San Diego University comes to town. UA is opening the year with a 16-game homestand.