DAVID SANDERS / ARIZONA DAILY STAR 2007

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Dwight Childs was due.

The Arizona Wildcats' light-hitting catcher stepped to the plate in Tuesday's game against New Mexico looking to get a big hit. The sophomore delivered, ripping a grand slam that helped the Wildcats earn a 10-6 victory in Albuquerque.

Childs' blast — the first home run of his college career — shows just how far the UA bats have come in recent weeks.

Following a midseason slump, Arizona (22-11 overall, 3-6 Pac-10) has won seven consecutive games. The Wildcats try to continue their streak tonight, when they open a three-game series with Washington State (19-15, 3-6) at Kindall/Sancet Stadium.

"We're definitely, definitely past that mental block," said Childs, who is hitting .175. "Now, we have a bunch of hitters getting after it and producing."

The Star talked with Childs about the Wildcats' upcoming series and his suddenly hot bat:

Well, a lot of guys got on before me, giving me an opportunity to get those runs in. I got a fastball, middle-down, and hit it to left field. I was sitting on that pitch — I got beat in my second at-bat by a lefty throwing 84 (mph). I was not going to get beat by a guy throwing 84 again.

They went crazy, man. Everybody was at (home) plate when I came across, and they threw me around a little bit. It was like a mosh pit. They were pretty excited, and that made the feeling mean a lot more to me. I've got some great teammates, man.

Your coach, Andy Lopez, says you're in the lineup more for your defense than your hitting. Do you take that as a compliment or an insult?

I don't really know how to answer that. I hit 15 home runs in high school over all four years, but that was kind of it. If I'm messing around in BP, the guys will get me to come out of my shoes every now and then to try to hit one. When I do, it's a great time.

My approach. I'm looking for certain stuff now when I get up there, like getting certain pitches down (in the zone). I'm trying to take better advantage of the opportunities I'm getting.

Hitting at the bottom of the order, you do have an advantage: You see seven hitters before you come up, what kind of pitches they're getting and how the pitches move. I think catchers have an advantage, period, coming up to the plate.

Washington State took two of three from us last year, so I feel like we owe them a little bit. They're coming into our park now, and so obviously we want to sweep them. It's a big series for us in the Pac-10.