With a spot in the upcoming Pac-12 tournament already secured, the Utah baseball team had hopes of moving within one game of first-place Arizona heading into the final game of their three-game series Sunday night.
However, the Utes’ fortunes changed quickly. After Kai Roberts gave them a 2-0 lead with a pair of big hits, Utah’s pitchers lost their consistency and the Wildcats earned a 10-4 victory in front of 1,827 fans celebrating Mother’s Day at the Smith’s Ballpark.
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Brendan Summerhill, Maddox Mihlakis, and Andrew Cain homered for Arizona, and Cam Walty overcame a rough start as Arizona improved to 19-8 in the league.
The Wildcats have a one-game lead over Oregon State with a three-game series awaiting beginning Thursday on their home field in Tucson.
Utah, meanwhile, fell to 16-11 overall and is tied with Oregon for third place in the conference. The Utes have a three-game set at USC next weekend that will determine their spot in the league tournament, which will be played May 21-25 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
“We played (against the Wildcats) pretty well. We only had three bad innings all weekend,” said Utah coach Gary Henderson, whose team enjoyed three hits in the opener but ran out of pitching depth after that.
“This time we started well and had them where we wanted, but this game can change in an instant.”
The Utah Utes talk with Utah Utes head coach Gary Henderson during a game against the Arizona Wildcats at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, May 12, 2024. | Keynote USA Arizona Wildcats celebrate after winning a game against the Utah Utes at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, May 12, 2024. | Keynote USAUtah Utes outfielder TJ Clarkson (13) bats during a game against the Arizona Wildcats at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, Sunday, May 12, 2024. | Marielle Scott, Deseret NewsUtah Utes infielder Bruer Webster (8) slides into third base during a game against the Arizona Wildcats at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, Sunday, May 12, 2024. | Keynote USAUtah Utes outfielder Kai Roberts (24) celebrates a home run during a game against the Arizona Wildcats at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, May 12, 2024. | Keynote USAUtah Utes pitcher Colter McAnelly (40) throws during a game against the Arizona Wildcats at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, Sunday, May 12, 2024. | Keynote USAUtah Utes outfielder Kai Roberts (24) celebrates a home run during a game against the Arizona Wildcats at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, May 12, 2024. |Keynote USAThe Arizona Wildcats cheer in the dugout during a game against the Utah Utes at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, Sunday, May 12, 2024. | Keynote USAUtah Utes outfielder Kai Roberts (24) catches the ball during a game against the Arizona Wildcats at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, Sunday, May 12, 2024. | Keynote USAUtah Utes outfielder TJ Clarkson (13) watches the ball at first base during a game against the Arizona Wildcats at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, Sunday, May 12, 2024. | Keynote USA Arizona Wildcats pitcher Kenan Elarton (40) throws during a game against the Arizona Wildcats at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, Sunday, May 12, 2024. | Keynote USAUtah Utes infielder Bruer Webster (8) slides into third base during a game against the Arizona Wildcats at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, Sunday, May 12, 2024. | Keynote USAUtah Utes infielder Bruer Webster (8) runs to third base during a game against the Arizona Wildcats at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, Sunday, May 12, 2024. | Keynote USAUtah Utes pitcher Randon Hostert (36) throws during a game against the Arizona Wildcats at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, Sunday, May 12, 2024. | Keynote USAUtah Utes outfielder TJ Clarkson (13) runs toward home plate during a game against the Arizona Wildcats at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, Sunday, May 12, 2024. | Keynote USAUtah Utes infielder Bruer Webster (8) looks to throw the ball during a game against the Arizona Wildcats at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, Sunday, May 12, 2024. | Keynote USAUtah Utes outfielder Kaden Carpenter (5) bats during a game against the Arizona Wildcats at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, Sunday, May 12, 2024. | Keynote USAUtah Utes pitcher Brett Porthan (39) throws during a game against the Arizona Wildcats at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, Sunday, May 12, 2024. | Keynote USAUtah Utes infielder Bruer Webster (8) throws the ball during a game against the Arizona Wildcats at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, Sunday, May 12, 2024. | Keynote USAUtah Utes infielder Matt Flaherty (2) slides into second base as Arizona Wildcats infielder Garen Caulfield (1) jumps over him during a game at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City, on Sunday, May 12, 2024. | Keynote USA
Roberts had four hits that night. He led off the Utes in the bottom half of the first inning with a first-pitch home run off Walty that got the crowd excited to enjoy the 70-degree weather.
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He added a two-out double in his next at-bat, but that was the last exciting moment the home team could offer.
“I didn’t know what to expect from the guy,” Roberts said of Walty. “On the first pitch, most guys throw a fastball and I just hit it. “I just wanted to inspire the guys.”
Roberts, a senior who will play his final home game Tuesday against Utah Tech, added a pair of singles later. That boosted his batting average to a team-leading .374, more than 100 points higher than the previous year’s best.
Arizona, meanwhile, couldn’t get anything going early against Utah starting pitcher Colter McAnelly. However, Blake McDonald singled and then Cain got a two-strike pitch he liked and lined it over the fence.
McAnelly, a freshman who came in with a 5-2 record and a decent 4.24 ERA, walked the next three batters. He was relieved by senior Randon Hostert, who got two strikes out of Garen Caulfield but then gave up a two-run single.
Summerhill increased Arizona’s lead to 5-2 with another single.
“We were one strike away from getting out of this,” Henderson said. “That’s how close this was.”
Utah relievers Hostert, Michael Stanford and Brett Porthan took a beating when Arizona scored three more runs in the sixth inning and Summerhill added a two-run homer in the ninth to end the game.
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