TUCSON, Ariz. (Interstat) — The Arizona Wildcats erased an early four-run deficit and then held off a late rally to edge the Grand Canyon Antelopes 5-4 in a midweek nonconference baseball game Tuesday night at Hi Corbett Field.

Arizona improved to 9-15 overall, while Grand Canyon fell to 8-18.

The Wildcats found themselves in a deep hole before recording an out. Grand Canyon’s Emilio Sanko led off the game with a single and, after a double play, Nick Scaldeferri was hit by a pitch. Cannon Peery followed with a single to put two runners on. Both then advanced on a passed ball before Trevor Schmidt grounded out to end the threat, but not before four runs had crossed the plate on the sequence of miscues.

Arizona began its response immediately in the bottom of the first. After two quick outs, Gino Lira launched a solo home run to deep left field to put the Wildcats on the board.

The Wildcats continued their comeback in the second. Kaden Cain led off with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a groundout by Jack Meyers. Following a pitching change, Tyler McEntire doubled and scored on an RBI single by Mathis Meurant, cutting the deficit to 4-3.

Arizona completed the rally and took the lead in the third. With one out, the Wildcats loaded the bases on two walks and a hit batter. Meyers then delivered the key blow, a two-run single through the left side that scored Mason Danzeisen and Maddox Mihalakis to give Arizona a 5-4 advantage.

Grand Canyon’s offense was stymied for much of the game by Arizona relievers. Starter Jack Lafflam settled in after the first, working four innings and allowing two earned runs on four hits. Corey Kling was dominant in middle relief, throwing two perfect innings and striking out three. The bullpen combination kept the Antelopes off the board from the fifth through the seventh innings.

The Antelopes’ bullpen was equally effective, allowing the Wildcats no runs and just three hits over the final six innings. Elijah Higginbottom, Tommy McGuire and Jace Smith combined for four hitless innings of relief with four strikeouts.

Grand Canyon threatened in the eighth against new pitcher Casey Morris. With one out, Josh Perez singled. After a strikeout, Peery popped out, bringing Schmidt to the plate. The designated hitter connected on a two-run homer to deep right field, scoring Perez and tying the game at 5-5. Zach Ohland followed with a triple, but was stranded when pinch-hitter Beau Johns struck out.

Arizona missed a chance to reclaim the lead in the bottom of the eighth. Meurant doubled with one out and advanced to third on a groundout. After an intentional walk, Lira struck out on a dropped third strike but was thrown out at first to end the inning.

In the ninth, Grand Canyon put the potential go-ahead run in scoring position against Arizona closer Garrett Hicks. Sanko doubled with two outs, but Perez flied out to right field to end the game.

Peery led Grand Canyon’s 10-hit attack, going 2 for 4 with a two-run homer. Schmidt’s two-run shot in the eighth was his only hit. Meurant paced Arizona’s nine-hit output, going 3 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Meyers drove in three runs for the Wildcats.

The most important sequence of the game was Arizona’s immediate response to Grand Canyon’s bizarre four-run first inning. Rather than letting the deficit deflate them, the Wildcats answered with a solo home run in their first at-bat and methodically chipped away, scoring in each of the next two innings to complete a five-run swing and seize a lead their bullpen would narrowly protect.

Arizona travels to Orlando for a three-game series at UCF beginning Friday. Grand Canyon returns home to host San Diego State for a three-game set starting Friday.