WICHITA, Kan.- Game four was a three-hour and 17 minute marathon, with offense abounding for both teams. Bill Rhinehart hit for the cycle for the second time this season to help Arizona out-hit New Orleans 16-12, as the Wildcats edged the Privateers, 9-8.

New Orleans started the night off right with lead-off hitter Brandon Bowser reaching third on a single and error by the left fielder. Joey Butler reached on another Wildcat mishap, as Bowser crossed home. T.J. Baxter sent one bouncing through a hole on the right side and a single in the right-center gap by Johnny Giavotella drove in Butler. Josh Tarnow brought in Baxter with a sacrifice fly to center field, giving the Privateers a 3-0 advantage in the bottom of the first.

Diallo Fon put Arizona on the board with a solo homerun that began the top of the third. A walk to Brad Glenn loaded the bases after Colt Sedbrook and Rhinehart were on board with singles. A line drive to right field by Jon Gaston plated the runners to knot the game at three.

The Wildcats took their first lead in the next frame with two outs. Back-to-back singles by Sedbrook and C.J. Zeigler were followed by a Rhinehart double that was ripped down the right field line, putting Arizona up 4-3.

Gaston added one for Arizona with a solo homerun, his sixth of the year, in the top of the fifth.

The Privateers pounded out five consecutive hits to post another three-run inning in the bottom half and regain the lead, 6-5. Bowser, Butler and Baxter managed singles off of starter Brad Mills. Ryan Perry took over on the mound and Bowser scored on a wild pitch by the reliever. Giavotella added to the damage with an RBI double and Tarnow capped the inning by driving in Baxter on a single to right field.

That lead was short-lived as Arizona came right back in the next inning. Fon was on board with a single to the right side for Rhinehart's twelfth homerun of the year. The blasted ball landed in the trees of right-center field and gave the Wildcats a 7-6 advantage.

New Orleans answered immediately as a double in the right-center gap by Bowser brought in David Broussard who was hit by a pitch. Butler legged out an infield single and Giavotella picked up his third RBI of the night with a single in the right-center gap, putting the Privateers ahead again, 8-6.

The lead changed hands for the last time in the top of the eighth. With one out, Ziegler doubled down the left field line and easily scored as Rhinehart completed his cycle with a triple in the right field corner. A sacrifice fly from Glenn was enough to bring in Rhinehart and make it 9-8.

Jason Stoffel was able to hold off New Orleans, retiring six consecutive hitters to secure the win, although Giavotella made it interesting by sending a ball to deep center field before T.J. Steele was able to corral the fly ball and held on for the out.

The win moved Arizona reliever Daniel Schlereth to 3-0 with one earned run in two innings of work. Ryan O'Shea suffered the loss for New Orleans and fell to 2-5, giving up four earned runs on seven hits over four innings of work.

Rhinehart fueled the Wildcat offense, going 4-for-5 with four RBI and three runs. Gaston added three hits, three RBI and scored once.

New Orleans had three hitters with three hits a piece and Giavotella contributed the most RBI with three.

New Orleans faces host Wichita State in an elimination game at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon. Wichita State fell earlier in the tournament to New Orleans, 7-6. Arizona plays the winner of the first game at 7 p.m.

-Wichita State-

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