Arizona breezes past San Diego

Matt Heistand Arizona Daily Wildcat First baseman, Kenny Corley (33) dives to stop a hard grounder hit down the first baseline in yesterday's game against San Diego. Corley and shortstop Keoni DeRenne hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth inning, effectively sealing the Wildcat's victory.

That is until the Arizona baseball team (5-0) destroyed their pitching in a three-game sweep this weekend at Frank Sancet Field, winning 12-8 Friday, 15-9 Saturday and 10-5 Sunday.

"I think the guys are doing pretty much what I expected," UA head coach Jerry Stitt said of his hitters.

The 60 runs scored in UA's first four games broke the previous record of 57 set in 1981.

It was also the first time since 1993 that Arizona scored 10 or more runs in five straight games.

Plus, every Wildcat starter already has at least one home run.

Freshman shortstop Keoni DeRenne was the last to hit his, smashing a ball into center field Sunday.

"(It's) a dream come true," DeRenne said. "To hit my first collegiate home run, it was kind of...harmonious."

DeRenne's homer was the second in the bottom of the eighth inning Sunday.

The inning began with pinch hitter Jason Hendricks hitting a solo shot to left, making the score 6-4. After center fielder Rafell Jones was hit by a pitch and stole a base, second baseman Erik Mattern drove him in with a single to center.

San Diego (0-3) sent in pitcher Bryan Bealer to stop the bleeding but DeRenne stepped up and hit his homer, followed by first baseman Kenny Corley's bomb for the first back-to-back homers for UA since 1988.

"I don't expect to hit home runs," DeRenne said. "I just saw the fastball down the middle of the plate. My eyes lit up and I hit it."

With a 10-4 lead going into the ninth, UA junior southpaw Rob Shabansky gave up a solo homer before striking out the last two batters he faced to pick up his second win of the year.

UA junior catcher Greg Clark had a monster weekend, going 7 for 12 with two homers, a triple and three doubles.

Still, Clark said his hot start does not necessarily mean he is going to have a great season at the plate.

"Last year I started off well and broke down as the season went on," Clark said. "I'm just taking it one game at a time."

Sunday's game also saw freshman left fielder Eric Torres hit his first collegiate home run, a two-run shot in the bottom of the third to give UA a 4-0 lead.

"It was huge for Torres in that situation," Stitt said. "It gave us a little cushion."

Saturday's scoring-fest saw San Diego jump out to an early lead, roughing up UA starter Tony Milo in the second inning. Milo had two errors that helped lead to six unearned runs for the Toreros.

With San Diego up 7-5, UA tied the game in the bottom of the third, then took the lead for good with a four-run fourth.

Milo settled down and pitched 7 1/3 innings, picking up his second win of the year.

Friday's game was tied at six going into the bottom of the eighth until Clark stepped to the plate and hit a solo shot to left field.

A three-run blast by right fielder Colin Porter, who was 2 for 4 on the day with four RBI, sealed the victory for reliever Ryan Moskau (1-0).