The way it started, Arizona’s final road series of the season had the potential to torpedo its chances of a Pac-12 title. The way it finished has put the Wildcats on the cusp of conference crown.
The UA scored eight runs in the 5th and 6th innings en route to a 10-4 win at Utah on Sunday night, taking the series and reducing its magic number to one.
Arizona (32-18, 19-8) will take a 1.5-game lead on Oregon State (39-12, 17-9) into next weekend’s series at Hi Corbett Field, needing to win only one game against the Beavers to clinch its second regular-season title in the last four years and earn the No. 1 seed in the Pac-12 Tournament. The UA has won 10 consecutive conference games at home.
The UA hit three more home runs, giving it 10 on the 4-game road trip after hitting only 42 in its first 46 games. Andrew Cain’s 2-run homer tied the game at 2 in the 5th, part of seven consecutive batters to reach base with two out, with Garen Caulfield giving the Wildcats the lead for good with a 2-run single with the bases loaded and Brendan Summerhill following with an RBI single for a 5-2 lead.
After Utah (31-18, 16-11) scored in the bottom of the 5th to get back within two, Maddox Mihalakis opened the 6th with a solo shot and the UA added two more 2-out runs on a Mason White single and a bases loaded walk to Summerhill.
Summerhill would add a 2-run homer in the 9th to go 3 for 4 with four RBI.
Arizona was outhit 12-11 but drew six walks and had two batters hit, with five of those free passes scoring during that 8-run push in the middle innings.
Cam Walty allowed three runs and nine hits over five innings, including a leadoff home run on the first pitch of the bottom of the 1st, but worked out of trouble multiple times to pick up his conference-leading 8th victory. Five relievers followed, with Eric Orloff, Tony Pluta, Jaeden Swanberg and Kyler Heyne combining to hold the Utes scoreless over the final three innings.
The UA and Oregon State begin the season-ending series Thursday at 6 p.m. PT at Hi Corbett. Expected to be on the mound for the Beavers is right-hander Aiden May, who was in the Wildcats’ starting rotation last season before transferring.
