For the second straight night, Arizona found itself playing from behind heading into the late innings.
With help from a pinch-hitting appearance by Brendan Summerhill, who hadn’t played since straining his hamstring in last weekend’s series against Texas Tech, Arizona (33-13, 15-8 Big 12) rallied to a 5-4 series-clinching win Saturday over TCU (32-15, 14-9) at Hi Corbett Field.
“The one thing I know we are is gritty and they’re gonna battle,” Arizona coach Chip Hale said on his team rallying to win.
The win put the Wildcats in a three-way tie for second place in the Big 12 alongside Kansas and ASU.
Arizona starter Collin McKinney and TCU’s Caedmon Parker looked to be in a pitchers’ duel through the first two innings giving up just one hit each.
In the bottom of the third inning, Arizona put an end to the scoreless tie when Maddox Mihalakis reached on a fielder’s choice that brought Gunner Geile in.
Arizona held their 1-0 lead until things went sideways for McKinney in the fifth.
McKinney hit the lead-off batter, walked the next batter, gave up a bases-loaded single, allowed another single that tied the game, and threw a wild pitch that put TCU up 2-1. A triple by Sawyer Strosnider plated two more.
With the Horned Frogs holding a 4-1 lead and Strosnider sitting on third and one out, Arizona pulled McKinney.
“Collin did a really good job tonight, just again, the walk and hit batter and then everything got out of hand on him,” Hale said. “I thought his stuff was fantastic. I thought for the four innings, he was really good.”
Raul Garayzar took over and stopped the damage striking out two and stranding Strosnider on third.
Garayzar, a Rio Rico native, pitched three more scoreless innings, earning his first win this season.
“It’s so cool, I see all the people from back at home, Rio Rico and they always tell me like you are such an inspiration to me and I love it, I love it,” Garayzar said. “I remember looking up to people that were in my shoes right now and just the ability to do that for them and just hearing them too, I hear them through all the games so it’s amazing. It’s a blessing.”
Arizona started chipping away at the Horned Frogs’ lead when a Mathis Meurant double down the right field line scored Garen Caulfield in the sixth, bringing the Wildcats to within two runs.
Hi Corbett chaos hit in the seventh.
With Geile on third and Mason White on first with two outs, Mihalakis singled through the right side plating Geile . TCU second baseman Cole Cramer, misplayed the ball and made a throw to first base. The throw went past shortstop Anthony Silva, sending White home for the tying run.
Arizona scored the go-ahead run in the eighth when Summerhill, who had to talk Hale to let him pinch-hit, took the first pitch deep into left field for a sacrifice fly that gave Meurant enough time to score.
“He basically convinced me that he’d hit the ball in the air, so I let him do it,” Hale said.
Casey Hintz relieved Garayzar with a man on first in the ninth inning and added some excitement for the 5,111 fans in attendance.
Hintz notched two outs before allowing a double. He then loaded the bases when he hit Strosnider. He struck out Cramer to secure the win and notch his second save.
Arizona will go for the sweep over TCU at noon on Sunday at Hi Corbett Field.
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