SCOTTSDALE—If this is the first time you’ve watched Arizona baseball all season (maybe because you didn’t get the Pac-12 Network?), you’re in luck: That’s how it’s been all year.
Tommy Splaine’s single to left scored Emilio Corona from second base in the bottom of the ninth inning, giving the Wildcats a 4-3 victory over USC in the Pac-12 Tournament championship game at Scottsdale Stadium.
“We did it again,” Corona said after UA’s eighth win this season.
Seven of them have been against conference opponents, including last week’s 4-3 win over Oregon State to clinch the regular-season title. Arizona is now 10-9 in 1-run games this season.
“My heart can’t take many more, but that’s how this team has been,” the coach said. Chip Hale saying. “We’ve scrapped, found ways to win, found ways to score runs late.”
Arizona (36-21) trailed 3-0 at the end of the seventh, but that only told half the story. The Wildcats were held hitless until six by the USC sophomore Caden Aoki, who despite pitching on three days of rest had the UA offense completely overwhelmed. He struck out eight of the first 18 batters he faced, and the only runner who reached base was a fielding error.
That all changed in the seventh when, with 1 out, white mason He broke the no-no with a solid single, then Maddox Mihalakis he issued a 10-pitch walk to chase Aoki. The last pitch escaped the USC catcher, allowing White to go to third, and he scored on a Blake McDonald sacrifice fly for UA to get on the board.
Arizona tied it in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI single. Brendan Summerhill and a sacrifice flies by Garen Caulfield. That rally began with a single by Splaine, the only player in the game with two hits, and for the tournament he went 5-for-15 after batting .228.
“It’s funny because Tommy can have some at-bats where there are strikeouts and he’s not doing much,” Hale said. “But it seems like when the game is on the line he has his best at-bats.”
Arizona having a chance to win the game wasn’t possible without senior right-hander cam walty, who a week after working 8.1 innings in the regular season finale against OSU pitched eight against USC. He allowed three runs on five hits, three of which could have been caught if the UA outfielders hadn’t misplayed balls in the wind early in the game.
Antonio ‘Tonko’ Susac He came in for the ninth and got three groundouts, setting the stage for the victory.
McDonald singled with 1 out and was hit by Corona, who has not been able to hit or play in the field since taking a pitch to his right hand on May 16. The team’s leading base stealer slid into second on the first pitch to Andrew Cain.
“We had one taken out, we brought it up and basically said, hey, if you jump, go,” Hale said. “He is an elite baserunner.”
After Cain was intentionally walked, Splaine threw a 2-1 pitch to left and Corona never missed a beat around third before sliding head-first across the plate just before the pitch.
“I really wanted to get ahead for our team,” Splaine said. “I didn’t have two good first at-bats. “I was just sitting there with no speed.”
USC (31-28) built its 3-0 lead taking advantage of Arizona’s shaky defense. The first run came in the third with a double to deep center that spun Summerhill over his head, and in the fourth he hit consecutive triples on balls from the right fielder. Easton Breyfogle played poorly before a legitimate RBI double.
“This was really scary at first,” Hale said. “The at-bats weren’t very good, the defense wasn’t very good and we held our own. And again, it all depends on our starting pitching. “When those guys keep us in the game, we’ll have a chance.”
Arizona earns the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, which will be its fourth consecutive trip, last accomplished in the 1960s. The 64-team tournament will be announced Monday morning, but Sunday at 5: 30 pm the NCAA will begin tweeting the 16 regional host sites.
With an RPI of 31, UA’s chances of being one of them are slim. The selection committee has traditionally awarded them to teams in the top 16, or within one or two spots.
“Obviously that’s not my decision, and whatever they want to do with us is perfectly fine with us,” Corona said. “We just want to keep playing and keep playing with this group. “This is a special group and I don’t think anyone wants this to happen anytime soon.”
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