Arizona and Juday snap streaks in win over Huskies

Eric M. Jukelevics Arizona Daily Wildcat Senior second baseman Andy Juday (16) avoids a pickoff by sliding into first base during Saturday's game against Washington. The Wildcats defeated the Huskies 17-4 to move to 21-16 overall and 4-8 in Pacific 10 Conference play.

Home runs by freshman designated hitter Ben Diggins, junior catcher Dennis Anderson and freshman right fielder Shelley Duncan, and four hits apiece by senior second baseman Andy Juday, who snapped an 0 for 34 streak, electrified the Wildcats. Combined with plays by junior center fielder Troy Gingrich and Duncan, the Wildcats (21-16 overall, 4-8 Pacific 10 Conference) powered their way to a 17-4 victory over the Washington Huskies (17-9, 6-3).

After recording only eight hits in Friday's doubleheader sweep by the Huskies 6-3 and 2-1, the Wildcats broke out the whooping sticks and rolled through six UW pitchers, recording a season-high 22 hits.

"We had nothing to lose. We dropped two yesterday, so all we could do was go out and prove ourselves," Diggins said. "This is how we played in the first half of the season. We've been off for the last 10-15 games, but today we just clicked."

With the Wildcats down early 1-0, they realized they had to get something going quick or they would be in for another long day.

They busted out by scoring three runs in the bottom of the first, two more in the second and then used power in the third as Diggins and Anderson hit back-to-back home runs to put UA up 9-2.

Diggins' home run, his second in as many days and third of the season, was a three-run shot over the center field wall that drove in sophomore third baseman Erik Torres and freshman left fielder Kenny Huff.

"It is starting to come around," Diggins said of his hitting. "I felt good today and every at-bat for the last week. I am finally starting to get a rhythm."

Arizona didn't stop there as in the bottom of the fifth Anderson, junior Troy Gingrich and Juday all bunted for base hits to load the bases. Anderson scored on a fielder's choice and then Duncan came up and crushed his 14th home run of the season over the left field wall, putting the Wildcats up 15-4.

"That worked out perfectly," head coach Jerry Stitt said. "We were just trying to get Andy to move them up and get a base hit. He got on, we got a run and then Shelley hit a bomb."

Duncan's home run kept his streak alive of homering in the past five series and tied a freshman record for home runs in the Pac-10.

With the lead intact, junior starting pitcher Mike Crawford could go to work without fear as he pitched seven strong innings allowing only three earned runs and walking no one.

"My curveball was working well and I was hitting my spots," said Crawford, who has faced 75 consecutive batters without issuing a walk. "It also helps when you get a lead like that because it relaxes you."

Even though the Wildcats lost the opening two games of the series, they did get solid pitching throughout the weekend from junior Josh Pearce, Diggins and Crawford.

Diggins allowed only three hits and two runs while pitching all nine innings in the second game of Friday's doubleheader, yet it still wasn't good enough to win because Arizona could only get one run on five hits.

"Michael (Crawford) really picked us up today," associate head coach Bill Kinneberg said. "Pearce pitched okay and Benny (Diggins) pitched great. Naturally we have to be consistent with that in order to give us a chance to win."