Daniel Susac's big afternoon helps Arizona baseball snap skid

The Arizona Wildcats had to replace a first-round MLB draft pick behind the plate in Austin Wells. That’s turned out to be not nearly as difficult a task as you’d think.

Freshman catcher Daniel Susac belted two home runs and drove in seven runs in the UA’s 13-8 win at Washington State on Saturday afternoon, ending the Wildcats’ season-worst 3-game losing streak.

Susac was 3 for 5 and scored four runs, raising his average to .305. He doubled in the fourth, scoring to runs to put Arizona (22-11, 8-6 Pac-12) up 4-3, hit a 2-run homer in the sixth and crushed a 3-run shot in the eighth.

Donta’ Williams also homered in the sixth, going 3 for 6 with three RBI, while Ryan Holgate was 3 for 4 with two RBI. Branden Boissiere and Kobe Kato added two hits apiece as the Wildcats cranked out 15 hits including eight for extra bases.

Arizona had scored only 16 runs in its previous five games, getting outscored 35-7 during the 3-game skid including Friday’s ugly 21-2 loss at WSU (17-13, 5-9).

Lefty Garrett Irvin (3-1) picked up the win, allowing five runs and stuff hits in six innings, then right-hander Quinn Flanagan went the final three and picked up the save despite allowing three unearned runs in the ninth.

Arizona and Wazzu wrap up the series Sunday at 1 p.m. PT in Pullman, with the Wildcats looking to claim a fourth consecutive Pac-12 series.