Diggins delivers

Leigh-Anne Brown Arizona Daily Wildcat Freshman pitcher Ben Diggins (33) stands at bat during the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks March 3 at Tucson Electric Park. Diggins pitched a complete game Sunday at Tulane in Arizona's 9-3 victory over the Green Wave.

He threw a complete game with eight strike-outs and only one walk in leading Arizona to a 9-3 win, helping the Wildcats salvage the final game of their series at Tulane (11-5).

"Ben's out there to show people up," said his teammate freshman right fielder Shelley Duncan. "He was clutch against ASU and on Sunday - on Sunday he had an unbelievable performance out there against Tulane."

Behind the successful pitching arm of Diggins (3-1), the Wildcats (16-8) pulled off a 9-8 victory in their first game of the Arizona State series at the end of last month as Diggins pitched one inning and with three strike-outs to get his first career save.

"We struggled Friday and Saturday," associate head coach Bill Kinneberg said, referring to UA's 9-5 and 11-4 losses. "We needed a good performance and Ben gave that to us.

"It was a good time for a good performance."

Diggins was also pleased with his performance.

"It felt good," he said. "I wanted to avoid the sweep and make the plane ride home a little more pleasant.

"We all played good. And when I have a good defense behind me, like Sunday, good stuff happens."

Diggins' clinching performance may also be enough to add him to the number three spot in the pitching rotation for this weekend's home series against UCLA behind juniors Mike Crawford and Josh Pearce.

It is still undecided if Diggins will be used in the third game, as he was against Tulane, or if he will come on in relief in the second game. But the unpredictable rotation is in no way an inhibiting factor to Diggins' pitching preparation, he said.

"It's better to be uncertain about your rotation," Diggins said. "It means you have a good staff."

And that staff, the coaching staff that is, is one of the key reasons Diggins chose to open his collegiate career as a Wildcat, after completing high school in Prescott, Ariz., at Bradshaw Mountain.

At Bradshaw, Diggins was named first-team All-American as a first baseman by both Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball. He was also the USA Today Arizona High School Player of the Year, and named the nation's top high school power-hitting prospect and the second-best corner infielder by Baseball America. He earned four letters as an outfielder, catcher, first baseman and pitcher.

"Coming from a situation of being a hitter and a pitcher, this was a good choice," Diggins said of choosing the UA. "Kinneberg is a good pitching coach and Stitt, hitting."

And although Diggins is struggling a bit on the offensive side of the plate, he still remains the highest-drafted prep player ever to plat at UA as he was the "sandwich" pick in the 1998 draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, the 32nd player taken over all.

"Obviously my weakness at this point is my hitting," Diggins said. "I'm a pretty easy out right now."

Both Diggins and Duncan were sought out to be strong contributors in both hitting and pitching. While Duncan (.293, 9 HR, 27 RBI) has given rise on the plate, Diggins (.170, 1 HR, 9 RBI) has delivered to the plate.

"Ben has excelled more in pitching, but has a chance to be greater in hitting," Kinneberg said. "He just hasn't found it yet - as much as Shelley and (freshman) Kenny Huff (.345, 2 HR, 17 RBI).

"But he gives good effort and it won't be too long until the day he will break his slump and turn it loose."

Duncan backed up Kinneberg's comments on Diggins breaking through.

"Ben's struggled at times," he said. "But he works hard. He comes out everyday ready to do what he needs to do."

Diggins commented that he will continue to contribute his hard work ethic toward his hitting, as well as keeping his focus on pitching.

"I want to do all I can to help the team win," he said.

Diggins and the Wildcats open Pacific 10 Conference play with a series with the Bruins this weekend at Frank Sancet Field beginning at 7 Friday night.