Box score
TUCSON, Ariz. -- James Farris hurled a complete-game shutout in his first career start and the Arizona bats came alive late as the Wildcats earned a series victory with an 8-0 win over visiting North Dakota State on Sunday.
Farris, a sophomore right-hander who threw just one-plus inning a season ago, was brilliant in his debut. The Gilbert native scattered five hits, struck out six and did not issue a walk to earn his first UA victory.
Arizona (2-1) scored a run in the first inning following Joey Rickard's leadoff double down the left-field line. Robert Refsnyder delivered a one-out double to drive in Rickard, which gave the Wildcats a one-run lead and set up a four-hit afternoon for the junior right fielder, who also registered two runs scored and three RBIs.
The score remained 1-0 through the fifth inning, with North Dakota starter Zach Wentz keeping his team in the game. Wentz, who suffered the loss, allowed just the one run in his five innings. He allowed three hits and two walks to go with two strikeouts.
The Wildcats were able to break the game open when the Bison went to the bullpen in the sixth inning. Johnny Field was hit by a pitch by reliever Anthony Kliniske to lead off the frame, and Seth Mejias-Brean followed with a sharp line-drive single to center before both runners moved into scoring position on a passed ball.
Following a strikeout, Brandon Dixon collected an RBI on a sacrifice fly to left field that drove in Field. One batter later, Alex Mejia hit a two-out single to center off reliever Byrant Larson to push the lead to 3-0.
Arizona tacked on two more runs in the seventh. Refsnyder opened the inning with a single up the middle, then stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. Field drew a walk and stole second to put a pair of runners in scoring position for Mejias-Brean, who tallied his second straight hit with a two-run double.
The Wildcats continued the scoring in their final at-bat in the eighth. Mejia and Rickard reached on consecutive singles, and both were in scoring position following Trent Gilbert's sacrifice bunt. Refsnyder then doubled in both runners with his fourth hit of the game, and Bobby Brown's sacrifice fly later in the frame scored Refsnyder to make it 8-0.
The series finale drew a crowd of 1,953, pushing the series total at Hi Corbett Field to 8,870. The three-game total is equal to nearly 25 percent of the school's tally of 36,412 fans in 33 home games a season ago.
