TUCSON, Ariz. – Brandon Dixon homered, scored three runs and drove in three as part of a 3-for-3 day at the plate to help 10th-ranked Arizona bounce back from Tuesday’s loss with a 14-5 victory over visiting Utah Valley on Wednesday afternoon at Hi Corbett Field.
Arizona (8-2) had 14 hits, seven of which went for extra bases. After stranding 10 runners and hitting 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position in the 3-1 defeat on Tuesday, the Wildcats were 9-for-14 in RBI situations on Wednesday.
Dixon’s first home run of the season, a two-run blast over the left-field wall, came in the bottom of the third inning and broke a 1-1 tie. The round-tripper was preceded by a run-scoring single off the bat of Johnny Field that erased an early 1-0 deficit.
The Wildcats broke the game open in the fifth inning with six runs. Sam Parris drove in two runs with a double, Scott Kingery and Riley Moore singled in one apiece, and two more scored on throwing errors.
That was plenty of run support for lefty Cody Moffett, who made his first career start for the Wildcats. The Gilbert, Ariz., native earned the win after pitching 5.1 innings with three runs – two earned – allowed on four hits. Moffet struck out one and walked one.
Arizona continues an 18-game homestand with a three-game set against San Francisco starting on Friday night.
