Gaston’s quiets hecklers 3-run HR in 11th inning lifts Cats

Right fielder Jon Gaston was pummeled with criticism throughout the first game of the super regional series against No. 1 Miami by “some friends” in the stands.

They had plenty to say to the Arizona player. But Gaston made a huge statement himself when he hit a line-drive three-run homer in the top of the 11th inning to give the Wildcats a 6-3 victory over Miami at Light Stadium in Coral Gables, Fla., on Friday night.

Arizona is one win away from taking the best-of-three series, which would mean a trip to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

“I made a bunch of friends that were ragging me the whole game. I just told them to look at the scoreboard,” Gaston said in a phone interview.

Gaston’s homer came after the Wildcats became stagnant against a Hurricane pitching staff that struck out 16.

All the whiffs Arizona had earlier didn’t matter after Colt Sedbrook was hit by a pitch from reliever Carlos Gutierrez with two outs in the 11th.

Brad Glenn followed with a single, setting up Gaston’s heroics.

“I had no idea it was going out. I just hit it and kept on running,” Gaston said. “I never know when I hit them out. It was an awesome feeling celebrating with my teammates in the dugout afterwards.”

The Wildcats (42-17) and Hurricanes (50-9) meet again at 4 p.m. Saturday. A deciding game would be played at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, if necessary.

UA is not taking anything for granted.

“Oh, this thing isn’t over yet. No way,” coach Andy Lopez said by phone. “I don’t have to remind them we need one more. They know. I told them to get a good night sleep and let’s come back (Saturday).”

Gaston, who was 2 for 4, but struck out twice, hit his 12th homer of the season, and only his second with runners on base.

“What a big hit, and at a good time,” Lopez said.

The Wildcats trailed 3-2 after a Dennis Raben two-run homer in the fourth inning off UA starter Preston Guilmet. UA tied it at 3 in the seventh when T.J. Steele drove in Glenn with an RBI single. Steele also had a two-run homer in the second inning to give the Wildcats a 2-0 lead.

The Wildcats’ bullpen took care of business as usual with Ryan Perry and Jason Stoffel getting the job done.

Stoffel (4-2) picked up the win by throwing three innings and allowing no runs and no hits. He had five strikeouts.

“It was unbelievable. No it wasn’t,” Lopez said about his bullpen. “It was business as usual for those guys.”

Perry pitched out of several jams to go 3 1/2 innings, giving up no runs and two hits while striking out three.

Perry, the No. 1 draft pick of the Detroit Tigers this week, showed why he was so highly touted as he worked out of a bases-loaded jam with strikeouts of Jemile Weeks and then Mark Sobolewski to end the fifth inning.

Perry left Miami runners on second and third to end both the sixth and seventh innings.

Raben nearly gave the Hurricanes the lead in the eighth, but he came up about two feet short of the 400-foot fence before Steele ran down the ball to keep the game tied.

———

SUPER REGIONALS
Arizona at Miami
Friday: UA 6, Miami 3 (11 innings)

Saturday: 4:30 p.m. TV: ESPN. Radio: 1290 AM

Sunday: 4 p.m. (if necessary). TV: ESPN2. Radio: 1290 AM

By the numbers
2: UA players with three RBIs each – Jon Gaston and T.J. Steele

5: Losses in the past 51 games for Miami at home in postseason play

9: Runners left on base by Miami. UA left only two

28: Strikeouts in the game, 16 by UA hitters and 12 by Miami

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