Citizen Staff Writer
TC Varsity
Citizen Staff Report
Kyle Stiner and Codi Harshman made the most of their first career starts wearing University of Arizona jerseys.
The pair of first-year Wildcats – Stiner a freshman, Harshman a junior college transfer – combined to go 5 for 6 at the plate with 3 RBIs and four runs scored in an 8-1 win over Holy Cross on Wednesday evening at Jerry Kindall Field.
It was UA’s second straight win over the visiting Crusaders.
Four UA pitchers combined to hold Holy Cross to one run and just three hits, with Bryce Bandilla picking up his first win of the season with 2 1/3 innings of relief work.
Kyle Simon got the start for UA, allowing one run in 3 1/3 innings of work.
Arizona (6-4) struck first, scoring in the bottom of the first inning after leadoff hitter Hunter Pace reached on a fielding error by shortstop John Stills then advanced to third on an errant pickoff throw. Brad Glenn drove him in with an RBI double.
Glenn went 1 for 4 with two RBIs in the game.
Matt Presley and Harshman led off the Cats’ second inning with a pair of singles and each scored in the inning, giving UA a 3-0 lead.
Holy Cross (0-5) got its lone run in the fourth inning when Jake Gorman came home on a Tim Hughes RBI single, cutting the lead to 3-1.
Harshman drew a walk and stole second base in the bottom of the fourth, setting up Stiner’s two-out, RBI single to right field to push UA’s lead to 4-1.
Stiner scored again in the seventh and UA added three more runs in the bottom of the eighth.
Cory Burns and Jason Stoffel slammed the door on the Crusaders, pitching 3 1/3 perfect innings to close the game out.
UA’s pitching staff struck out seven Holy Cross hitters.
The Wildcats host a three-game series against Massachusetts Friday through Sunday. Friday’s game starts at 7 p.m.