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Wildcats seeking to dodge Matadors in weekend series

After two straight weekends of underachieving against the Pacific 10 Conference's weaker teams, the UA baseball team could use some time to regroup.

While the team will not have a vacation, they will be treated to a three-game non-conference series against Cal-State Northridge this weekend at Sancet Field. The first game of the series takes place at 7 tonight.

According to UA head coach Jerry Stitt, the Wildcats hope to carry the momentum from last Saturday's 21-3 victory against Washington State into this weekend's series. In the game, six UA players matched or surpassed their season high for hits in a game.

"It's great when you can get a 10-run lead and all the guys are feeling it," Stitt said. "It's a good feeling when all parts of the game seem to be coming together."

Arizona right hander Ben Diggins (8-3, 3.72 ERA) will try and end a personal three-game losing streak tonight against the Matadors. Despite winning his first eight starts of the season, the righty has fallen upon hard times lately. He will face off against CSUN left-hander Andy Davidson (3-5, 4.78)

Stitt said, though, it's a matter of time before Diggins starts winning again.

"He's really dominant," Stitt said. "The ball just moves (when he throws it)."

The Matadors (17-26) will hardly be a pushover for the inconsistent Wildcats, as Cal-State has proven to be a giant-killer so far this season, defeating both No. 12 Long Beach State and No. 15 UCLA.

Numerous Wildcats are surging following last Saturday's rout against the Cougars. In the game, sophomore left fielder Kenny Huff became just the ninth player in Wildcat history to hit for the cycle, the sophomore logged two singles, a double, triple, and home run en route to a four-RBI game.

"Saturday was a positive for me," he said. "I think it was a positive for the team."

Huff, who had spent the first half of the season in a slump, needs to produce if the Wildcats hope to win their remaining nine games.

Many Wildcats, including Huff, believe that the team must win its remaining nine home games in order to have a chance at making the College World Series.

"If we win out, we may have a chance," he said.

Senior pitcher Kevin Huff, Kenny Huff's older brother, agrees.

"We need to go out there every night, we belief that we can win," he said. "It's going to take us playing like we did last Saturday to stay the race. We want to win this series."