Infield errors cost Arizona baseball in series opener vs. UCLA

Arizona’s defense has either been really good or really bad this season. Friday was one of the bad ones.

Four infield errors led to six UCLA runs in a 10-2 home loss to the Bruins at Hi Corbett Field.

UCLA (14-7, 2-2 Pac-12) got two runs in the top of the first on a 2-out double that wouldn’t have happened if not for a fielding error by second baseman Tyler Casagrande. Casagrande and third baseman Garen Caulfield both had errors in the fifth ahead of a grand slam by UCLA’s Cody Schrier, making it 6-0.

The UA has committed 27 errors in 22 games this season. It had 78 in 63 games in 2021.

Arizona (16-6, 5-2) scored single runs in the sixth and seventh on an RBI groundout from Mac Bingham and a run-scoring triple by Tanner O’Tremba, who had two hits and leads the Wildcats with 27 RBI. Bingham also had two hits while catcher Daniel Susac was 4 for 5 with his 12^th double of the season.

The Wildcats left 10 runners on base, going 1 for 6 with runners in scoring position.

Right-hander TJ Nichols earned the loss, dropping to 3-1 despite all five of the runs he allowed being unearned. He struck out six and walked three over 5.1 innings.

Arizona and UCLA play the second game of their 3-game series Saturday at 6 p.m. PT, with left-hander Garrett Irvin on the mound for the Wildcats.