clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Arizona baseball: Wildcats shutout Cal State Fullerton 2-0 for big midweek win

A huge win for baseball in their home opener

Jason Bartel

After two weekends on the road, the Arizona Wildcats finally held their home opener on Wednesday night. They welcomed in West Coast powerhouse Cal State Fullerton, but the Titans would have their muscles paralyzed, as the Wildcats took the game 2-0.

Nathan Bannister, who pitched 4 2/3 innings against Tulane on Friday, got the call to start Wednesday night's opener, and he did not disappoint. The senior righty would throw 6 2/3 of two-hit baseball against Fullerton.

Arizona's lone runs came in the second inning. After a one-out triple by JJ Matijevic off the left field wall, Bobby Dalbec would come up and drive him in with a single to the left side.

Singles by Justin Behnke and Louis Boyd loaded the bases for Cesar Salazar, who hit a sac fly to left to bring in Dalbec for the second run of the inning.

From there, the pitchers dominated. Bannister would only allow singles in the third and seventh innings before being replaced by Dalbec with two down in the 7th.

Arizona's third baseman/closer would nail it down, giving up a couple hits of his own along the way to his first save of 2016.

The only Wildcat hitter to record multiple hits was Louis Boyd, and it's not an accident that with him in the lineup, the Wildcats won a game. As I said in my Tuesday notes, this team is winless without him getting an at bat, and undefeated with him getting an at bat.

Starting Friday, the Wildcats will host the Wildcat Invitational, welcoming Northwestern State, Cal State Bakersfield and St. Mary's to Tucson. Arizona will play Northwestern State Friday evening at 6 PM MT.