LAS VEGAS - Smith Bailey threw 6.0 stellar innings and allowed just one run, Nate Novitske collected three hits for the second consecutive day, and the University of Arizona Baseball team earned a dominant 5-1 victory over Vanderbilt Saturday night.
The Wildcats recorded eight hits, while Arizona's pitching staff of Bailey, Patrick Morris, Evan Brandt, and Garrett Hicks limited Vanderbilt to just five hits throughout the contest.
Novitske picked up his first hit of the night in the top of the first inning, lining a single back up the middle in the second at-bat of the game. The Wildcats were unable to score in the top of the first; but, Bailey worked around a leadoff walk in the bottom half of the frame by retiring three consecutive batters.
The Commodores scored the first run of the game in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead over the Wildcats.
Both teams went scoreless over the next three innings, before Arizona broke through in the top of the sixth. Andrew Cain opened the inning by raking a ball to right center field for a leadoff double. Maddox Mihalakis followed by tripling down the right field line, scoring Cain to tie the game.
After Roman Meyers drew a walk, Jackson Forbes laid down a sacrifice bunt to bring Mihalakis home and give Arizona their first lead of the game. Carson McEntire then drew a walk, and proceeded to advance to second on a wild pitch in the next at-bat, putting two Wildcats in scoring position. After a strikeout, Caleb Danzeisen was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Novitske stepped up to the plate and delivered in a massive way, as he posted his third hit of the day, a two-RBI single to plate Meyers and McEntire and extend Arizona's advantage to 4-1.
Bailey closed out his superb outing in the bottom of the sixth by retiring three of the four batters he faced.
Arizona tacked on another run to increase their lead in the top of the seventh inning when Roman Meyers launched a solo home run to deep left field.
The Wildcats bullpen limited Vanderbilt to two hits over their final three at-bats, and Arizona went on to secure the 5-1 victory.
Arizona will return to the field for the final game of the Live Like Lou Las Vegas CBC on Sunday against UC Irvine, with first pitch scheduled for 4:00 pm (MST).
