The University of Arizona baseball team (4-3) bounced back from a tough opening weekend in Arlington by dominantly sweeping the San Diego Toreros (0-7) at Hi Corbett Field. Over the three games, Arizona outscored San Diego 28-10, securing wins via run rule, a dramatic walk-off, and a late-inning offensive explosion.
Game 1: Arizona 11- San Diego 0 (7)
Arizona opened the series dominantly, cruising to an 11-0 victory in seven innings. The Wildcats took an early lead with a bases-loaded walk in the first and steadily built on their advantage with timely hitting. A solo home run, two RBI singles, and a sacrifice fly extended Arizona’s lead to 5-0 by the fifth inning. An offensive surge in the six-run sixth inning sealed the game via run rule.
Arizona’s pitching staff was nearly flawless. Sophomore Collin McKinney and Junior Casey Hintz highlighted Arizona’s night. Hintz would open for the Wildcats, throwing three innings with only two hits and one strikeout. McKinney would close the game and capture the win after pitching four innings with only four hits and three strikeouts. Their play on the mound was highlighted by excellent work by players around the field.
Aaron Walton led the Wildcats at the plate with a commanding three-for-three outing at bat with three runs and three RBIs. Easton Breyfogle would prove crucial as well, going two-for-two at the plate with one run and three RBIs.
Game 2: Arizona 5 – San Diego 4
The second game of the series was a back-and-forth battle, with San Diego nearly pulling off a thrilling comeback before Arizona secured a 5-4 walk-off RBI single.
San Diego took an early lead in the first inning when Isaiah Lane drove in Jack Gurevitch with a single to center field. Arizona tied the game in the third on a USD fielding error and took a 2-1 lead in the fifth on a solo home run. The Wildcats extended their advantage to 4-1 with a sacrifice fly in the sixth and an RBI double in the seventh.
Down by three in the ninth, San Diego mounted a dramatic rally. After a single, a hit-by-pitch, and a bases-loaded walk brought one run home, pinch hitter Nico Libed stepped up and delivered a game-tying two-run single up the middle, tying the game at 4-4. However, Arizona wasted no time responding. The Wildcats led off the bottom of the ninth with back-to-back singles before an RBI single by Walton to center field secured the walk-off victory.
Arizona’s bullpen held San Diego to just five hits over the first eight innings, proving crucial in preserving the lead before the late-inning drama. Despite their resilient effort, the Toreros came up short, giving Arizona a 2-0 series lead.
Game 3: Arizona 12 – San Diego 6
San Diego fought hard in the series finale, tying the game twice before Arizona erupted for six runs in the bottom of the eighth to secure a 12-6 victory and complete the sweep.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning, but San Diego starter Andrew Mosiello settled in and kept Arizona off the board for the next four innings. His strong outing allowed the Toreros to chip away at the deficit. In the sixth, Austin Smith doubled home Aden Howard, Jayden Lobliner followed with an RBI single and true freshman Rex Watson legged out an infield single to score another run, cutting Arizona’s lead to 4-3.
In the seventh, Gurevitch’s fourth hit of the game brought home Libed, tying the score at 4-4. However, Arizona immediately responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning to regain the lead. San Diego fought back once more in the eighth when Libed crushed a two-run triple to the right-field corner, evening the score at 6-6.
But Arizona once again answered. The Wildcats put together six runs in the bottom of the eighth, highlighted by a two-run triple from Brendan Summerhill and a two-run double from Garen Caulfield. Michael Hilker Jr. closed out the ninth with a hitless inning to earn the win, shutting down any hopes of another USD comeback.
Series Takeaways
Arizona’s offense came alive during this series, averaging 9.5 runs per game after struggling to score in its opening weekend. The Wildcats found production throughout their lineup, with players like Caulfield, Summerhill, and Guzman stepping up in key moments. Their bullpen also played a vital role, keeping San Diego in check late in games and preventing the Toreros from completing their comeback efforts.
Looking Ahead
The Wildcats will travel to Houston to take on Rice University at Reckling Park on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 5:30 p.m. The last time the Wildcats faced the Owls was in 2019 in Houston, where Arizona won 15-6.
