Freshmen Kevin Newman and Ryan Koziol had two hits apiece, and the pitching staff wiggled its way out of jams all game Wednesday as 10th-ranked Arizona bounced back from its first loss of the season to beat host Long Beach State 3-1.
Arizona (4-1) scored one run in each of the first, second and fourth innings, never trailing in the last of a two-game midweek series.
Long Beach State (3-2) held on for a 5-4 victory earlier in the day as the teams finished a rain-suspended game from Tuesday night. The loss was Arizona's first since May 26, 2012, ending a 14-game winning streak.
The Dirtbags left 13 runners on base in the second game, hitting a combined 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position in the game. They threatened all the way through the eighth inning, when leaving the bases loaded for the second time in three innings took the wind from their sails.
Closer Mathew Troupe, who picked up a pair of tough outs in the eighth, turned down the Dirtbags in order in the bottom of the ninth to finish off an otherwise suspenseful night. Troupe earned his second save of the season after tossing 1 2/3 scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts.
Leading by two, the Wildcats dodged a final Long Beach State rally in the eighth. Reliever Stephen Manthei gave up a one-out walk, which prompted UA to turn to Troupe.
The righty picked up a quick out on a pop fly, then loaded the bases on a base hit and a walk. Troupe dug in and struck out Jeff McNeil to end the inning with the bases loaded.
Up next
• What: San Jose State at Arizona, three-game series
• Where: Hi Corbett Field
• Schedule: 6 p.m. Friday; 4 p.m. Saturday; noon Sunday
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