TUCSON, Ariz. – Lefty Tyler Crawford pitched eight strong innings and Johnny Field paced the offense with three hits and two runs as the 16th-ranked University of Arizona baseball team defeated visiting Texas Tech, 6-2, on Tuesday evening at Hi Corbett Field.
Crawford (2-1) turned in the best outing of his young career with eight innings. The Glendale, Ariz., native allowed just two runs and scattered eight hits, while he set a career-high with five strikeouts. The sophomore did not issue a walk.
Field brushed off a recent slump with a 3 for 4 day at the plate, including a pair of doubles. The junior’s leadoff double in the fourth led set up a sacrifice fly by Trent Gilbert later in the inning to give the Wildcats a 2-1 edge – a lead they did not surrender.
Arizona (11-3) broke the game open with a four-run sixth inning. Zach Gibbons, who was 2 for 4 at the plate, doubled to the gap in left-center and moved to third on Riley Moore’s bunt single. With no outs and runners at the corners, Field reached on a two-base throwing error that allowed Gibbons to score.
After a pitching change, Brandon Dixon drove in a pair of runs with a double to left field. Dixon, who has reached base in all 14 games this season, eventually scored on Gilbert’s second sacrifice fly of the game. Gilbert saw an eight-game hitting streak snapped, but the sophomore increased his season RBI total to 20, which leads all Pac-12 players.
Texas Tech fell to 7-6. The two clubs wrap up the midweek series with a 1 p.m. game on Wednesday.
