OMAHA, Neb. — Opening day of the 2025 Men’s College World Series was everything a college baseball fan could want to experience. “The Greatest Show On Dirt” did not disappoint.
From late-inning rallies to walk-off wins, the fans in attendance at Charles Schwab Field got their money’s worth.
Arizona in familiar territory
Arizona ended up on the losing end of the bracket with its 7-4 loss to Coastal Carolina, but the Wildcats have been in this position before.
“It’s a familiar feeling being at the bottom,” Arizona shortstop Mason White said. “In a tough situation, tough spot.”
Arizona coach Chip Hale added about his team: “They’ve done it all year. We’ve lost Fridays and won the series. It’s going to be tougher. This is that four-team deal. So it’s not just like winning two more games. We’re going to have to win a bunch of games. To do that, we’ll have to fight and battle and scratch.”
Fighting, battling and scratching is what got Arizona to the College World Series.
After starting the season 0-3, the Wildcats won their next seven games before losing to Tennessee on March 2. After that loss, Arizona went on an 11-game winning streak.
Arizona won four season series’ after dropping the first game.
In the Chapel Hill (N.C.) Super Regional, the Wildcats lost the first game to North Carolina but came back to win the next two games, earning their spot in the College World Series.
The Wildcats can look back at the 1976 and 1980 national championship teams to see that dropping the first game of the CWS isn’t a nail in the coffin to reach the title.
The 1976 team lost its first game at the CWS to Arizona State, and the 1980 team lost to St. John’s before running the table to win the championship.
In Sunday’s elimination-bracket game, Arizona will face Louisville, which beat the Wildcats 13-1 in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown on Feb. 16.
Louisville will face a different Wildcat team Sunday than it beat to begin the season. Cardinals coach Dan McConnell is aware of that.
“It’s a whole new season,” he said. “We’ll look at our scouting report and that game, but my gosh, that was on Feb. 16. It’s really a whole new game. We’re into scouting reports. We’re organized. We want to be prepared.
“Our guys don’t get too down on themselves (after losing to Oregon State on Friday night). They’re competitive.”
The game is on ESPN at 11:00 a.m. Arizona time.
Mason White breaks program record
There isn’t a ballpark that White doesn’t like.
White hit home run No. 20 on the season and No. 49 of his career on Friday, setting an Arizona extra-base hit record at 111, passing Dave Stegman’s 110.
Stegman was part of the 1976 national championship team.
White’s 49 home runs put him in second place in career home runs at Arizona, six behind Shelley Duncan at 55.
ARIZONA CAREER HOME RUN LEADERS
| Player | Years | HR |
|---|---|---|
| Shelley Duncan | 1999-2001 | 55 |
| Mason White | 2023-25 | 49 |
| Brad Glenn | 2006-09 | 43 |
| Chase Davis | 2021-23 | 39 |
| Kenny Corley | 1995-98 | 36 |
| Nick Quintana | 2017-19 | 35 |
| David Shermet | 1985-88 | 34 |
| Les Pearsey | 1975-78 | 33 |
| C.J. Zeigler | 2007-08 | 33 |
| Moises Duran | 2001-04 | 32 |
Arizona’s Toy of the Day was elevated for the College World Series
One of Arizona’s new traditions, started by outfielder TJ Adams to bring fun and energy to the team before each game, is the presentation of a toy that is awarded to the most deserving player of the game.
The toy has ranged from a Hot Wheels car to a remote-control bat mobile.
For Friday’s opening game of the College World Series, Adams went big time. He presented a mini drone when the team met in a circle before the game.
TOTG: Toy Of The Game #MCWS x ESPN / @ArizonaBaseball pic.twitter.com/DonQmGxWhw
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 13, 2025
Pluta named NCBWA Stopper of the Year
Arizona ace closer Tony Pluta was named on Friday the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Stopper of the Year for 2025.
Pluta was one of 13 finalists that included fellow Big 12 relievers Antoine Jean of Houston and Gabe Craig of Baylor.
Jeffries times two in the booth
What is better than one Jeffries calling Arizona baseball? Two Jeffries calling Arizona baseball.
Brian Jeffries, the Voice of the Wildcats, and his son Brody Dryden teamed up to call the Arizona-Coastal Carolina game on Tucson’s local radio station 1290-AM.
They will work together through Arizona’s time in Omaha. Brody will assist his dad by announcing the middle innings (fourth through sixth).
Ran into Brian Jeffries, the Voice of the Wildcats, here and he mentioned he and his son Brody will be announcing today's Coastal Carolina-Arizona game at the College World Series. Brody will handle the middle innings. Word of advice: Watch the game on ESPN but listen to Brian…
— Javier Morales (@JavierJMorales) June 13, 2025
Oregon State blunders and then walks it off against Louisville
With Oregon State leading Louisville 3-1 going into the ninth inning, the Beavers needed three outs to close out their game and notch a win in the CWS.
Louisville grabbed a run after a Zion Rose triple and a Tague Davis single that plated Rose.
Then chaos happened.
With one out, Beavers shortstop Aiva Arquette grabbed the ball and jump threw to first base for what looked to be out number two, but the throw was off target and sailed to the left of first baseman Jacob Krieg.
Oregon State catcher Wilson Weber grabbed the ball and went to throw to second base but the ball slipped out of his hand and landed behind him. Weber had no idea where the ball was. Louisville’s Alex Alicea ended up at third base after all the chaos dust settled.
TRIPLE TIME!!! #MCWS x ESPN / @LouisvilleBSB pic.twitter.com/5AeWvoQvMi
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 14, 2025
A single by Kamau Neighbors tied the game at three.
The next two Cardinal batters struck out and it was Oregon State’s turn at the plate.
A one out single by Arquette followed by Gavin Turley double that sent Arquette home and secured a 4-3 walk-off victory for Oregon State.
WHAT A WAY TO FINISH #MCWS x ESPN / @BeaverBaseball pic.twitter.com/3WBLMgajCt
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAABaseball) June 14, 2025
An ending for the ages at the College World Series.
Oregon State moves on to the winners bracket and will play Coastal Carolina on Sunday.
You never know who you will meet in Omaha
Standing outside of Charles Schwab Field after the ending of the Arizona and Coastal Carolina game, waiting on his spouse to get finished with her media duties, an Arizona fan was approached by a gentleman and his son asking about being able to enter the stadium for the Oregon State-Louisville game.
During the conversation, the dad said that his son is a pitcher for TCU and gave condolences for the Wildcats’ loss to Coastal Carolina as well as stating that Arizona beat his son in Tucson during the Arizona and TCU series. The father and son were headed to watch the son’s best friend pitch for Louisville.
That Arizona fan was this writer’s husband and once back at our hotel, he relayed the encounter to me. I had him look up the player and it was TCU ace pitcher Tommy LaPour and his dad.
Big 12 family connecting in Omaha.
Come for the game but stay for the baseball camaraderie.
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