Arizona
College World Series: Arizona baseball has shown ability to bounce back from losses
OMAHA, Neb.—Getting to the College World Series requires winning a bunch of games against very good opponents. The eight qualifiers have shown their ability to navigate two weekends’ worth of tough competition with little or no blemishes.
But once the CWS starts, someone has to lose. Arizona was one of the vanquished, falling 7-4 to Coastal Carolina in Friday’s series opener, dropping it into the loser’s bracket and one setback away from elimination.
“It’s a familiar feeling being at the bottom,” shortstop Mason White said.
Arizona (44-20) will play Louisville (40-23) at 11 a.m. PT Sunday, the first step in what would be a tremendously steep climb to stay alive in the series. The Wildcats would have to win four in a row to reach the championship series, with three of those on consecutive days.
It’s not impossible, as several CWS teams have accomplished this feat. Oregon State won the 2018 national title after losing its opener, as did South Carolina in 2010 and a pair of UA national champions. The 1976 and 1980 squads started 0-1 only to run off five in a row to earn the program’s first two titles.
None of those were this year’s Arizona team, but the current squad has shown the ability to “flush” losses quickly. Last weekend the Wildcats were thumped 18-2 at North Carolina in the first game of the Super Regionals and then came back to win the next two, both of which they trailed in the 7th inning or later.
That was the most recent example, while there were several during the regular season.
“They’ve done it all year,” UA coach Chip Hale said. “We’ve lost Fridays and won the series.”
The Wildcats lost 13-4 at Houston on May 15, a fifth loss in six games that eliminated any chance to host a regional and got them close to the NCAA Tournament bubble. But a day later they won 14-6, the start of an 8-game win streak that included perfection at the Big 12 Tournament (which was a trio of single-elimination games) and the Eugene Regional.
Arizona also won series against Oklahoma State and BYU after dropping the opener.
“I think this is a group we want to do it with,” sophomore pitcher Owen Kramkowski said. “This is all the guys we feel most confident doing it with. We’ve done it before, so it’s just taking it pitch by pitch and knowing it can happen. If we trust it it will happen. So just trusting everyone we’ve got with us is the biggest part right now.”
Arizona has lost its College World Series opener nine previous times, most recently in 2021. The Wildcats went 0-2 that year, but in four of the previous instances they’ve won at least one game after that initial loss.
Arizona
Arizona man convicted for role in bringing cocaine to Cincinnati, other US locations for over 5 years
CINCINNATI — An Arizona man has been found guilty of supplying dozens of kilograms of cocaine to multiple U.S. locations, including Cincinnati, bi-weekly for more than five years.
Tucson resident Cesar Cervantes, 52, was convicted of participating in drug trafficking and money laundering conspiracies in a jury trial after the government seized more than 160 kilograms of cocaine, three kilograms of fentanyl and $1.4 million in cash from him.
According to court documents, Cervantes would use a network to deliver drugs that originated in Mexico to multiple locations across the country, including designated couriers in Cincinnati, between at least July 2018 and August 2023. Officials said he would supply between 25 and 50 kilograms biweekly to his coconspirators.
Cervantes would then use money launderers to funnel money back to Mexico. In one instance, court documents said he had coconspirators deliver around $300,000 to two separate money launderers — one based in China and another in Colombia.
The jury found Cervantes guilty on all counts for his role in the conspiracies following a trial before U.S. District Judge Matthew W. McFarland in the Southern District of Ohio. He faces at least 10 years and up to life in prison.
Arizona
Backyard blaze erupts after Arizona monsoon lightning strike
Investigators are analyzing two ransom notes sent after Nancy Guthrie vanished, as a retired FBI agent questions whether the latest message is real. A new development in Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance centers on two ransom notes sent to her family after she vanished. Investigators believe the messages may have come from the same person or group, possibly from the same computer IP address. The first note demanded billions in bitcoin, while the second claimed Guthrie had died and offered an apology. Retired FBI agent John Iannarelli says he is skeptical of the second note and questions why the sender has not provided credible information about her location. The case remains active as detectives continue following any reliable leads.
Arizona
Lit cigarette sparks fire at Arizona wildlife park
CAMP VERDE, AZ (AZFamily) — An Arizona wildlife park is asking visitors to follow its rules after a visitor discarded a lit cigarette in the park, sparking a fire.
Park officials said Saturday a visitor ignored the no-smoking policy and threw a lit cigarette on the ground near the Tiger Splash Arena, causing the fire.
“If you are not willing to respect our policies, we understand that our park may not be the right destination for you,” Out of Africa Wildlife Park and Sanctuary said in a social media post.
Copper Canyon Fire and Medical District firefighters put out the fire before it could spread or threaten any animals, park officials said.
“Every policy we have in place exists for a reason, even if it may seem inconvenient to some visitors,” park officials said. “The outcome could have been devastating for the animals. We respectfully ask all visitors to follow the rules that are in place for everyone’s safety.”
Park officials said the safety of the animals, guests and staff is the highest priority.
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