The University of Arizona baseball team (44-20) lost 7-4 in a back-and-forth affair to No. 13 Coastal Carolina University (54-11) on Friday, June 13, at 11 a.m. at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Omaha, Nebraska.
The Wildcats started from behind 2-0 through two innings until junior shortstop Mason White launched an opposite solo home run to left field to put Arizona on the board. Junior catcher Adonys Guzman followed and wasted no time driving a first pitch double down the first base line. Junior third baseman Maddox Mihalakis roped a double down the right field line, driving in Guzman to tie the game at 2.
In the bottom of the fifth, Coastal Carolina sophomore right fielder Blagen Pado hit an RBI single to right field reclaiming a 3-2 lead for the Chanticleers.
Arizona responded in the sixth by loading the bases with no outs. Mihalakis got hit by a pitch (HBP), walking in junior center fielder Aaron Walton, the third HBP of the inning. Senior second baseman Garen Caulfield grounded into a fielder’s choice to second, allowing White to score and give the Wildcats its first lead of the game, 4-3.
Coastal Carolina answered in the home half of the inning, after a leadoff single from junior DH Dean Mihos who advanced to second on a wild pitch. Mihos scored later in the inning after a couple groundouts to short, leveling the score 4-4.
The Chanticleers added on insurance in the bottom of the eighth all with two outs in the inning. Redshirt senior left fielder Sebastian Alexander knocked a blooper to center, driving in senior center fielder Wells Sykes from second, putting Coastal ahead 5-4.
Later in the inning, junior second baseman Blake Barthol scorched a double to the right center gap scoring 2 more runs, extending the lead to 7-4.
The 3-run eighth inning for Coastal Carolina was too much for Arizona to overcome, holding the Wildcats complete the comeback.
Senior first baseman Tommy Splaine and Guzman combined for five of Arizona’s nine hits of the game. Mihalakis drove in half of the Wildcats’ 4 runs of the game.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Owen Kramkowski pitched the first five innings of the game, punching out seven batters and only walking one, but allowed 3 earned runs on nine hits.
The Arizona bullpen combined to go 2.3 innings, striking out three, allowing five hits and 4 runs. 2 of those punchouts came from junior Garrett Hicks, yet was charged with the final 3 runs given up and received the loss.
Looking ahead
The Wildcats will await the loser of No. 8 Oregon State University or the University of Louisville to play an elimination game on Sunday, June 15, at Charles Schwab Field Omaha at 11 a.m.
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