The pace of play in college baseball has made the game difficult to watch beyond seven innings, especially in the faster-faster-faster millennial generation.
In Arizonaβs last 15 games, dating to an early May series against Washington, the Wildcats averaged 3 hours and 47 minutes per game. That includes nine-inning games that were played in 5:45, 4:14, 4:02 and 4:01.
Is there anything that can be done? Surely the tradition-bound fathers of NCAA baseball would never permit the game to be shortened to a softball-esque seven innings, even though it would alleviate the pitching-shortage problems that plague most college baseball teams.
The more fan-friendly softball games were manifest at Hillenbrand Stadium over the last two weekends when five capacity crowds endured near-100 degree temperatures (and precious little shade).
The average time of Arizonaβs five NCAA games against Baylor and South Carolina was 2 hours 16 minutes.
UA fans and players spilled tears at the end of the entertaining softball season. By comparison, itβs sometimes a triumph if you can make it through a college baseball game without falling asleep.
