Arizona’s bullpen has been a strength most of this season, with relievers Casey Hintz and Garrett Hicks particularly effective in their roles.
But neither had it on Thursday, combining to allow eight runs in the bottom of the 7th inning in a 12-5 loss at BYU to open the weekend series
The Wildcats (26-11, 10-6 Big 12) had taken a 5-4 lead in the top of the 7th on an RBI double by Maddox Mihalakis and a Tommy Splaine sacrifice fly. That put Collin McKinney in line for his first win of the season.
But things quickly turned. Hintz walked the leadoff man before allowing back-to-back singles. The second hit was a bunt that Hintz ended up throwing away, allowing the tying run to score and continuing a season-long trend of poor bunt defense for Arizona.
The bases were loaded with one out when Hintz hit a batter to bring in the go-ahead run. It was the eighth HBP in the game, four for each team.
Hicks came in for Hintz and allowed four hits, three with two out, to turn a 1-run deficit into seven.
McKinney struck out nine over six innings, allowing four runs and five hits with two walks and three hit batters. The six innings were tied for his longest outing of the season.
Aaron Walton had two of Arizona’s eight hits, opening the game with a double and scoring and then driving in two with a double in the 2nd to put the UA up 3-1.
Sophomore Owen Kramkowski will start for Arizona in Friday’s 3:30 p.m. PT middle game. He has got at least seven innings in his last two starts.