If I had told you on Feb. 7, 2024, that the Arizona baseball team would host an NCAA regional — but would go two-and-out — you’d have taken it in a heartbeat.
That was the day was released. They didn’t think very much of your Wildcats, picking them to finish ninth among the 11 baseball-playing schools.

Michael Lev is a senior writer/columnist for the ÃÛÌÒÓ°ÏñAV,ÌýTucson.comÌý²¹²Ô»åÌýThe Wildcaster.
The poll, for whatever it was worth, suggested that Arizona would barely make the Pac-12 Tournament, let alone the NCAA Tournament.
Even Chip Hale wasn’t sure what to expect from his team, which had many new faces and placed countless players into new roles. Having lost Chase Davis, Kiko Romero, Nik McClaughry, Tony Bullard and Mac Bingham to pro ball or the transfer portal, Arizona seemed destined for a rebuilding year. A 10-13 start — albeit against a brutal slate of NCAA-bound opponents, mostly on the road — only affirmed that notion.
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Arizona coach Chip Hale talks with the home plate ump between innings of the Wildcats’ game against Grand Canyon in the Tucson Regional on Friday. Arizona lost both of its games in the NCAA Tournament but exceeded preseason expectations.
Fast-forward to late May. Led by a vastly improved pitching staff, the Wildcats proved that those preseason expectations were misguided at best. They blew them away. Arizona won the Pac-12 regular-season title with a 20-10 record — just the third time the Wildcats have won 20-plus conference games since the 30-game format was introduced in 2012. The other two times, in ’12 and ’21, Arizona advanced to the College World Series.
Add in a Pac-12 Tournament title, and it’s a wholly different discussion. Thanks to their stellar play, the Wildcats raised expectations tenfold. That’s why the outcome of the Tucson Regional — losses to Grand Canyon and Dallas Baptist in which Arizona didn’t do anything particularly well — felt so disappointing.
I’m not going to sugarcoat any of that. The Wildcats didn’t play up to the standard they had set during the season. If nothing else, they were almost always a tough out — a team that would battle until the last at-bat. For whatever reason, that team never appeared during the regional.
It doesn’t mean that the season overall wasn’t a success. Because it unequivocally was.
With the least talented roster he’s had (in my opinion), Hale did his best coaching job — as both a program and dugout leader. In critical ways, Arizona took a big step in the right direction.
It began with Hale’s best move of the 2023 offseason — hiring Kevin Vance as pitching coach. With his modern approach — expertly blending analytics and mental toughness — Vance transformed a weakness into a strength.

Pitching coach Kevin Vance, shown during Arizona’s March 30 game vs. UCLA, transformed the Wildcats’ staff during his first year on the job. Keeping him on board is paramount.
That, in turn, helped improve the clubhouse culture. Instead of us (the hitters) vs. them (the pitchers), it became all for one and one for all.
The lingering question is how to take the next step — how to go from making an NCAA regional to winning one.
Before I get into that, it’s worth noting that Arizona made the tournament for a fourth straight year — something that had never been done in the modern history of the program. I realize that the format has changed, the field has expanded, etc. But it’s not nothing. Three of those appearances came on Hale’s watch.
Jerry Kindall, Andy Lopez and Jay Johnson never led their teams to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments. But two of the three won the CWS, and the other got there twice in five tries. That’s the overarching expectation for Arizona baseball. That’s the goal. That’s how Hale can win over the doubters.
Getting back to Omaha will require further advancement in areas where the Wildcats already have made strides. Some changes could be in order as well.

Arizona senior starter Cam Walty throws against Dallas Baptist in the early innings of their NCAA Tournament elimination game Saturday, June 1, at Hi Corbett Field.
Arizona can’t expect to make the CWS if its pitching regresses. So retaining Vance is paramount.
I haven’t so much as heard a rumor about Vance going elsewhere. Although he played college ball on the East Coast, he’s a West Coast guy (San Diego). He fit in seamlessly at Arizona, and the program has provided him the funding and space to build a pitching lab inside the Terry Francona Hitting Center.
But when you do your job as well as Vance did — the Wildcats’ ERA dropped from 5.97 to 4.46 with mostly the same arms — other programs will take notice. If an SEC school were to lure Vance away with a financial package Arizona couldn’t match, it wouldn’t come as a surprise. Hopefully Hale and the UA will do right by Vance and incentivize him to stay.
The Wildcats will need to rebuild their starting rotation with Clark Candiotti and Cam Walty running out of eligibility and Jackson Kent more likely than not to be drafted. They’ll have to find at least one veteran starter in the transfer portal, maybe two. Vance and his right-hand man, John DeRouin, know exactly what they’re looking for in terms of makeup and metrics, all the more reason to make sure they stick around.

ÃÛÌÒÓ°ÏñAV outfielder Easton Breyfogle knocks a leadoff single against Dallas Baptist in the fifth inning of their elimination game in the Tucson Regional on June 1, 2024, at Hi Corbett Field.
The offense — which was never great, at least by recent UA standards — should improve organically. Most of the position players who occupied significant roles or are projected to next season — Mason White, Brendan Summerhill, Maddox Mihalakis, Adonys Guzman, Easton Breyfogle, Andrew Cain, TJ Adams — were sophomores or freshmen in 2024. They all should get better with more high-level at-bats.
Arizona finished the season with a .278 batting average — the first time the Wildcats have been below .280 since 1994. Aside from White, the ’24 squad didn’t make up for it by hitting the ball over the wall. Arizona’s 57 home runs were 41 fewer than last year and marked its lowest total in a full season since 2018. The Wildcats didn’t hit a homer in any of their last eight games at Hi Corbett Field.
If the ’24 team had the ’23 team’s hitting — or the ’23 team had the ’24 team’s pitching — you’re talking about a national-title contender. When the two are in sync, it makes for a magical season. Again, that’s the goal.
Something else was missing during the Tucson Regional, and it’s much harder to quantify. Similar to the first two games of the Oregon State series, the Wildcats seemed oddly flat. Maybe it’s because all those games started unfavorably, with Arizona facing early multiple-run deficits. Maybe it’s something deeper.
Hale said he was thinking during the DBU loss about ways he might prepare his team differently for future NCAA Tournament games. Here’s an idea: Add a graduate or undergraduate assistant to change the vibe a bit.
Hale, Vance and assistant coaches Trip Couch and Toby DeMello are generally laid-back guys. Perhaps it was just a coincidence that Arizona won a pair of games in the Coral Gables Regional in 2022 with fiery Brian Anderson also on staff. Perhaps not.
Regardless of what changes are coming to college sports, these players are not professionals. They’re young and emotional. That can be a detriment at times. It also might be something that’s worth tapping into.
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Arizona baseball coach Chip Hale and infielder Garen Caulfield speak June 1, 2024, after the Wildcats' 7-0 loss to Dallas Baptist in the Tucson Regional of the NCAA Tournament, looking back at the UA team's 2024 season. (Video courtesy Arizona Athletics)
Arizona baseball coach Chip Hale speaks June 1, 2024, after the Wildcats' 7-0 loss to Dallas Baptist in the Tucson Regional of the NCAA Tournament about his team's pitching performances during NCAA play this season. (Video courtesy Arizona Athletics)
Arizona baseball coach Chip Hale speaks June 1, 2024, after the Wildcats' 7-0 loss to Dallas Baptist in the Tucson Regional of the NCAA Tournament about how he can relate to his players who saw their season end in NCAA regional play after he experienced the same as a UA player in the 1980s. (Video courtesy Arizona Athletics)
Arizona baseball coach Chip Hale speaks June 1, 2024, after the Wildcats' 7-0 loss to Dallas Baptist in the Tucson Regional of the NCAA Tournament on how the Wildcats' regular-season success in recent years has been met with difficulties in NCAA Tournament play. (Video courtesy Arizona Athletics)
Photos: Arizona falls to Dallas Baptist 7-0, game two of the NCAA Regionals

Arizona’s Emilio Corona (11) is consoled in a nearly empty dugout by athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois after the Wildcats 7-0 loss to Dallas Baptist in an elimination game of their NCAA Regional, June 1, 2024, Tucson, Ariz. The Wildcats went two-and-done in the regional.

Arizona shortstop Mason White (24) rolls the double play past Dallas Baptist’s Alex Pendergast (6) in the fourth inning of an elimination game of their NCAA Regional, June 1, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.

Arizona’s Easton Breyfogle, left, and Brendan Summerhill hug as the stands empty out after the Wildcats’ 7-0 loss to Dallas Baptist in an elimination game as part of the NCAA Tournament's Tucson Regional Saturday afternoon at Hi Corbett Field.

Dallas Baptist’s Luke Heefner (12) gestures to his bench after slapping a double in the ninth inning of an elimination game against Arizona in the NCAA Regional, June 1, 2024, Tucson, Ariz. Heefner later scored, the final run of the game in the Patriots’7-0 win over the Wildcats.

Dallas Baptist designated hitter Tom Poole (24) gets his props in the top of the fifth after his second two-run homer of the game against Arizona in Saturday's NCAA Tournament elimination game in Tucson.

ÃÛÌÒÓ°ÏñAV outfielder Easton Breyfogle knocks a leadoff single against Dallas Baptist in the fifth inning of their elimination game in the Tucson Regional on June 1, 2024, at Hi Corbett Field.

Arizona senior starter Cam Walty throws against Dallas Baptist in the early innings of their NCAA Tournament elimination game Saturday, June 1, at Hi Corbett Field.

Arizona shortstop Mason White (24) playing in the second base hole lines up a grounder from Dallas Baptist’s Nathan Humphreys (8) for the final out on a fielder’s choice in the third inning of an elimination game of their NCAA Regional, June 1, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.

Arizona third baseman Richie Morales (7) drifts under towering pop-up from Dallas Baptist’s Nathan Humphreys (8) in the eighth inning of an elimination game of their NCAA Regional, June 1, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.

Arizona second baseman Garen Caulfield (1) runs down a ground ball by Dallas Baptist’s Alex Pendergast (6) in the sixth inning Saturday at Hi Corbett Field.

Arizona reliever Anthony Susac (34) deals against Dallas Baptist in the ninth inning of an elimination game of their NCAA Regional, June 1, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.

Dallas Baptist starter Jaron DeBerry (30) shovels to first to eliminate Arizona’s Adonys Guzman (18) in the second inning of Saturday's NCAA Tournament elimination game in Tucson.

Arizona right fielder Emilio Corona (11) comes in to glove a pop-up in no-man’s land by Dallas Baptist’s Michael Dattalo (5) in the fourth inning of an elimination game of their NCAA Regional, June 1, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.

Arizona center fielder Brendan Summerhill heads into the gap to snare a fly by Dallas Baptist’s Alex Pendergast in the first inning of an elimination game of their NCAA Regional on June 1, 2024, at Hi Corbett Field.

A fan wraps up to hide from the sun at first pitch between Arizona and Dallas Baptist in an elimination game of their NCAA Regional, June 1, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
Photos: Arizona falls to GCU in Wildcats' NCAA regional opener

Arizona starter Clark Candiotti (44) throws in the first inning against Grand Canyon in the NCAA Regionals, May 31, 2024, Tucson, Ariz. The Wildcats dropped the opener to the Lopes 9-4.

Arizona right fielder Emilio Corona slams into the wall chasing Grand Canyon batter Tyler Wilson’s solo homer that just cleared the fence in the top of the first inning.

Grand Canyon’s Tyler Wilson gestures skyward after knocking a solo homer on the game’s second pitch Friday.

Arizona left fielder Easton Breyfogle (12) slides in to snare a bloop fly by Grand Canyon batter Tyler Wilson (4) in the third inning of their game in the NCAA Regionals, May 31, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.

Grand Canyon first baseman Zach Yorke (27) can’t handle the throw as Arizona batter Maddox Mihalakis (33) reaches on a dropped third strike in the second inning of their game in the NCAA Regionals, May 31, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.

Arizona third baseman Richie Morales (7) charges a sacrifice bunt by Grand Canyon batter Elijah Buries (29) in the second inning of their game in the NCAA Regionals, May 31, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.

Grand Canyon shortstop Emilio Barreras scoops up a grounder from Arizona’s Mason White for an out in the third inning Friday.

Arizona’s Maddox Mihalakis (33) looks into the Wildcat dugout after slapping a single against Grand Canyon in the third inning of their game in the NCAA Regionals, May 31, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.

Arizona second baseman Garen Caulfield (1) tracks down a high pop-up into right field foul territory by Grand Canyon’s Michael Diaz (30) in the fourth inning of their game in the NCAA Regionals, May 31, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.

Arizona center fielder Brendan Summerhill (4) makes the long run in to catch a short fly ball from Grand Canyon’s Zach Yorke (27) in the first inning of their game in the NCAA Regionals, May 31, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.

Arizona’s Emilio Corona (11) waits on deck for his turn at the plate against Grand Canyon their game in the NCAA Regionals, May 31, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.

Arizona catcher Blake McDonald makes the throw to first after pouncing on a sac bunt by Grand Canyon’s Alton Gyselman in the fifth inning of their game in the NCAA Regionals on May 31 at Hi Corbett Field.

Arizona shortstop Mason White moves to backhand a grounder in the second base hole by Grand Canyon’s Tyler Wilson to retire the Lopes in the fifth inning of their game in the NCAA regionals on May 31, 2024, at Hi Corbett Field.

Arizona third baseman Richie Morales (7) can’t get a grip on a dribbler up the line by Grand Canyon’s Zach Yorke (27) in the sixth inning of their game in the NCAA Regionals, May 31, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.

Arizona shortstop Mason White turns the pivot over Grand Canyon’s Tyler Wilson on a double play in Friday's loss to the Antelopes.

Arizona’s Garen Caulfield (1) draws a breath before stepping against Grand Canyon in their game in the NCAA Regionals, May 31, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.

Arizona second baseman Garen Caulfield (1) fakes a throw to first after forcing Grand Canyon’s Michael Diaz (30) on what ended up a fielder’s choice that left runners on the corners in the eighth inning of their game in the NCAA Regionals, May 31, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.

Arizona’s Blake McDonald (2) gets hit by a pitch during a plate appearance against Grand Canyon in the eighth inning of their game in the NCAA Regionals, May 31, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.

Arizona reliever Eric Orloff (29) fields a comebacker sac bunt by Grand Canyon’s Cade Verdusco (6) in the ninth inning of their game in the NCAA Regionals, May 31, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.

Grand Canyon third baseman Eli Paton, left, and first baseman Zach Yorke celebrate the final out in the Lopes’ 9-4 win over ÃÛÌÒÓ°ÏñAV on Friday night.

Arizona center fielder Brendan Summerhill (4) takes a moment to himself in the out field grass before the Wildcats take on Grand Canyon in the NCAA Regionals, May 31, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.

Arizona coach Chip Hale talks with the home plate ump between innings of the game against Grand Canyon in the NCAA Regionals on May 31, 2024, at Hi Corbett Field.

Arizona infielder Mason White (24) waits his turn in the cage as the Wildcats take batting practice before first pitch against Grand Canyon in the opener of the 2024 NCAA Tournament Tucson Regional Friday at Hi Corbett Field.
Photos: Arizona walks off USC 4-3 for the last Pac 12 baseball tournament championship

The Wildcats swarm Tommy Splaine (20) after his single drove home pinch runner Emilio Corona for the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth in a 4-3 win over USC in the championship game in the 2024 Pac-12 Baseball tournament in Scottsdale.

Arizona pinch runner Emilio Corona just beats the throw to USC catcher Jacob Galloway to score the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning of the 2024 Pac-12 Baseball Tournament championship game on May 25 in Scottsdale.

The Arizona Wildcats hoist the last Pac 12 Baseball Tournament trophy after coming from behind to win 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday over USC at Scottsdale Stadium. Arizona won the conference’s regular season and tournament crowns in the final year of the league’s 12-team era.

Arizona second baseman Garen Caulfield (1) runs down a grinder from USC’s Jacob Galloway (40) in the first inning of their championship game in the Pac 12 baseball tournament, May 25, 2024, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Arizona right fielder Easton Breyfogle (12) gets to a shot to the fence from USC ’s Kevin Takeuchi (8) and save a run in the third inning of their championship game in the Pac 12 baseball tournament, May 25, 2024, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Arizona right fielder Easton Breyfogle (12) can’t get to smash to the fence from USC’s Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek (27) that went for an RBI triple in the fourth inning of their championship game in the Pac 12 baseball tournament, May 25, 2024, Scottsdale, Ariz.

USC runner Carson Wells, left, can’t twist away from the tag by Arizona second baseman Garen Caulfield after trying to get to second on a deep fly ball to left in the seventh inning of the Pac-12 Tournament championship game on May 25, 2024, in Scottsdale.

Arizona shortstop Mason White (24) tracks deep into the second base side to snare a hopper from USC’s Jacob Galloway (40) in the seventh inning of their championship game in the Pac 12 baseball tournament, May 25, 2024, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Arizona starter Cam Walty yells to his teammates after getting a strikeout against USC in the championship game of the 2024 Pac 12 Baseball Tournament.

Arizona second base man Garen Caulfield (1) leaps for a drive to his left to retire USC’s Dean Carpentier (6) to end the Trojans half of the ninth inning in the Pac 12 baseball tournament final, May 25, 2024, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Arizona’s Brendan Summerhill runs toward the crowd as the Wildcats celebrate their walk-off win over USC for the Pac-12 Baseball Tournament championship May 25, 2024, in Scottsdale.

Arizona coach Chip Hale hugs shortstop Mason White following the Wildcats’ win over USC in the championship game in the Pac-12 Baseball Tournament on May 25, 2024, in Scottsdale. White was named tournament MVP.

Arizona’s Tommy Splaine is soaked after getting a water cooler dumped on him during his postgame TV interview following the Wildcats’ walk-off win over USC to win the 2024 Pac-12 Baseball Tournament Championship Saturday night in Scottsdale.

The grounds crew stencils the Pac 12 logo behind the mound ahead of the last game for the tournament — and for the league as a whole during its most recent 12-team era — just before Arizona faced USC in the championship game in the conference's 2024 bseball tournament Saturday at Scottsdale Stadium.

Arizona’s Garen Caulfield sits in the home-team dugout just before the Wildcats head out to face USC in the Pac-12 Baseball Tournament final on Saturday at Scottsdale Stadium. The game was the last ever for the conference.

Arizona’s Brendan Summerhill watches his RBI single shoot into the outfield and get the Wildcats to 3-2 in the eighth inning against USC in the Pac-12 Baseball Tournament championship game on May 25, 2024, in Scottsdale.

Arizona pitcher Bradon Zastrow sports the banana rally cap as the Wildcats chip away at USC’s lead in the eighth inning of the Pac-12 Baseball Tournament championship game on May 25 in Scottsdale.

Arizona pinch runner Richie Morales (7) flies by USC catcher Jacob Galloway (40) with the tying run on a sac from by Garen Caulfield (1) eighth inning of their championship game in the Pac 12 baseball tournament, May 25, 2024, Scottsdale, Ariz.

Arizona’s Garen Caulfield gestures to the dugout after getting a sacrifice fly to tie the score in the bottom of the eighth against USC in the championship game of the Pac-12 Baseball Tournament on May 25 in Scottsdale.

USC shortstop Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek, left, and Arizona pinch runner Emilio Corona look for the call after Corona swiped second to get in scoring position with the go-ahead run in the bottom of the ninth inning of the championship game in the Pac-12 Baseball Tournament on Saturday, May 25, 2024, in Scottsdale.

Arizona shortstop Mason White (24) holds the tournament MVP trophy after the Wildcats’ defeated USC 4-3 on May 25 in Scottsdale.

Arizona’s Andrew Cain (3) charges back to the scrum after the Wildcats scored the winning run against USC in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday night at Scottsdale Stadium.
Photos: Arizona comes from behind with two in the bottom of the ninth to beat Oregon State and take the Pac 12 championship
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

Arizona’s Brendan Summerhill (4) jumps for joy after smashing a two-RBI double to center field in the bottom of the ninth to edge Oregon State 4-3 and take the regular season Pac 12 championship at Hi Corbett Field, May 18 2024, Tucson, Ariz. The walk-off was the conference’s final regular season game, in all sports.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball | May 18, 2024

Arizona coach Chip Hale celebrates with his Wildcats after their 4-3 walk-off victory to clinch the Pac-12 regular-season championship against Oregon State at Hi Corbett Field on May 18.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

Oregon State reliever Bridger Holmes (50) dives but can’t get to a pop-up bunt from Arizona’s Casey Hintz (16) that loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 18, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball | May 18, 2024

Arizona shortstop Mason White (24) makes the throw on a dead run to nail Oregon State’s Jabin Trosky (2) on a slow roller up the middle and get the Wildcats out of the seventh inning at Hi Corbett Field on May 18.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

The Arizona Wildcats dogpile in center field after a walk-off, come-from-behind 4-3 win against Oregon State at Hi Corbett Field to take the last-ever Pac-12 regular-season championship on May 18.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

Arizona’s Brandon Rogers (8) scoops up Brendan Summerhill (4) after Summerhill knocked home the winning runs in the bottom of the ninth to defeat Oregon State 4-3 on the last day of regular season play, in all sports, for the Pac 12 Conference, at Hi Corbett Field, May 18, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball | May 18, 2024

Arizona’s Blake McDonald (2) and Clark Candiotti (44) celebrate the Wildcats' 4-3 walk-off over Oregon State with teammate Brendan Summerhill (4). The May 18 victory at Hi Corbett Field clinched the Pac-12 regular-season championship for the Wildcats.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball | May 18, 2024

Arizona’s Garen Caulfield (1) goes for the flying chest-bump as the Wildcats celebrate their 4-3, come-from-behind, walk-off win over Oregon State for the Pac-12 regular-season championship on May 18 at Hi Corbett Field.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

Arizona’s Maddox Mihalakis (33) slides past Oregon State catcher Wilson Weber (18) with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 18, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

Arizona infielder Richie Morales (7) gets hit by a pitch in the eighth inning against Oregon State in their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 18, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

Arizona starter Cam Walty deals in the seventh inning against Oregon State in their Pac-12 game at Hi Corbett Field on May 18. Walty would allowed three runs in 8â…“ innings in the Wildcats' 4-3 comeback win.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

Arizona runner Adonys Guzman (18) slides into third base late as the throw to Oregon State third baseman Jabin Trosky (2) on a force play in the seventh inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 18, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

A fan jumps on the dugout to yell at the Wildcats as Arizona manufactured the tying run against Oregon State in the sixth inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 18, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

Arizona’s Brendan Summerhill (4) lunges for the bag as the throw gets to Oregon State infielder Jacob Krieg (22) in the sixth inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 18, 2024, Tucson, Ariz. Summerhill was initially ruled safe, a call upheld through review, and eventually came around to score the tying run, 2-2.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

Arizona second baseman Garen Caulfield (1) ranges to the right field line to glove a pop-up by Oregon State’s Brady Kasper (17) in the sixth inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 18, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

Arizona’s Casey Hintz (16) gives the ump a look after getting called out looking to end the Wildcat fifth against Oregon State at Hi Corbett Field, May 18, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

Arizona starter Cam Walty (38) bobbles a bunt back to the mound by Oregon State Travis Bazzana (37) that went for a hit in the fifth inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 18, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

Arizona first baseman Tommy Splaine skids on his knees to glove a grounder up the line by Oregon State's Jabin Trosky and get the putout himself in the fifth inning of their Pac-12 game at Hi Corbett Field on May 18, 2024.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

Arizona third baseman Richie Morales (7) scoops up a bunt to throw out Oregon State’s Elijah Hainline (3) on a sacrifice bunt in the fourth inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 18, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

Arizona first baseman Tommy Splaine (20) tags out Oregon State’s Brady Kasper (17) in the third inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 18, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

Arizona centerfielder Casey Hintz (16) misplays a sinking liner by Oregon State’s Micah McDowell (12) that knocked in a run in the third inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 18, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

Arizona second baseman Garen Caulfield makes the short throw to first to retire Oregon State’s Jabin Trosky in the third inning of their Pac-12 game at Hi Corbett Field on May 18.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

Arizona third baseman Richie Morales (7) charges the grounder by Oregon State’s Wilson Weber (18) in the second inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 18, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball | Saturday, May 18, 2024

Arizona pitcher Cam Walty tosses to first to get Oregon State’s Brady Kasper and end the Beavers’ half of the first inning of their Pac-12 championship-deciding game on May 18 at Hi Corbett Field.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball

Arizona centerfielder Casey Hintz (16) goes to ground to snare a sinking fly ball by Oregon State’s Travis Bazzana (37) in the first inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 18, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball | May 18, 2024

Arizona pitcher Clark Candiotti (44) sports the banana rally cap in the Wildcat dugout in the eighth inning against Oregon State on May 18 at Hi Corbett Field, May 18.
University of Arizona vs Oregon State, game 3, Pac 12 baseball | May 18, 2024

Arizona's Brendan Summerhill (in red) and the Wildcats show off their conference championship trophy to the home crowd after knocking off Oregon State on Summerhill’s bottom-of-the-ninth, two-RBI double in the final Pac-12 event of any kind to be held in Tucson on May 18.