Arizona entered Tuesday night’s midweek matchup with Grand Canyon on a two-game winning streak after getting wins over Vanderbilt and UC Irvine in the Live Like Lou Las Vegas Baseball Classic.
A three-game winning streak wasn’t to be as Arizona mistakes in the ninth inning and the offense’s inability to get base runners in scoring position across the plate ended in a 7-5 loss to Grand Canyon in Hi Corbett Field.
Arizona (3-9) and Grand Canyon have played each other 103 times since 2002 with the Wildcats holding a 71-32 overall series lead.
Since 2021, the Antelopes hold a 10-7 advantage, including taking two out of three last season when the Wildcats earned a birth in the College World Series.
Arizona took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning Tuesday when Tony Lira singled to left field, scoring Caleb Danzeisen.
That lead wouldn’t last long as Grand Canyon added two runs in the second inning and an additional two runs in the third to go ahead 4-1.
In the third, Dom Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly to center field that brought Lira home, cutting the Antelopes’ lead in half.
Arizona tied the game in the fourth inning when a Nate Novitske single brought Beau Sylvester and Cash Brennan across the plate.
The game remained tied at 4 until the wheels fell off for Arizona in the top of the ninth.
With one out and runners on the corners for Grand Canyon, Marcus Galvan hit a bunt squeeze. Lira charged to the ball and threw to Arizona catcher Roman Meyers in what looked to be an out at home plate but Meyers wasn’t able to secure the throw and the ball went over his glove allowing Jarret Nielsen to score.
After a fielding error by Brennan loaded the bases, Cannon Peery smoked a double that scored two more runs for Grand Canyon.
Arizona got one run back after designated hitter Jackson Forbes homered to deep right field but the Wildcats could not put together a rally.
Arizona coach Chip Hale was frustrated with the errors but was more frustrated with the Wildcats not being able to bring runners home — an issue the Wildcats were having in their first eight losses and appeared to have fixed in their last two wins.
Stats Roundup:
Novitske had his fourth straight multi-hit game.
Lira went 3-5 with one RBI.
Sylvester and Brennan had two hits each.
Forbes’ homer in the ninth was the first of his career.
Former Pima Community College pitcher Maclain Roberts pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and struck out three batters.
Matthew Martinez pitched two scoreless innings, getting six of eight batters out. He struck out four.
Injury Update:
Junior outfielder Andrew Cain (hand), sophomore outfielder Carson McEntire (vertigo) and senior infielder Tyler Bickers (shoulder) may be back for the weekend series with Fresno State.
Senior RHP Nolan Straniero is having Tommy John surgery sometime this week and is out for the season.
Next Up:
Arizona will host Fresno State for a three-game series that starts Friday in Hi Corbett Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
Game Extra:
A howling good time was had by all four-legged fans in the Juice Box as Arizona baseball hosted their annual Bark at the Park night.
Barkley’s first Bark at the Park at Hi Corbett!pic.twitter.com/T9rbHSo0rW
— Justin Spears (@JustinESports) March 4, 2026
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