Arizona outfielder Tyler Casagrande’s custom Air Jordan cleats are a work of art.
The white-and-blue shoes feature red Nike swooshes, baseball-like stitching that curves under the ankle, the Hi-C logo (get it?) and words of wisdom from Casagrande’s father that have served the third-year Wildcat well:
“Many things in life aren’t fair, but everyone gets 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It’s what you make of it.”
Tyler Casagrande’s stylish cleats include a Hi-C logo (a reference to Arizona’s home stadium) and words of wisdom from his father.
Casagrande didn’t say it was unfair that he lost his starting job after only two games this season; that’s for others to judge. But there’s no question Casagrande has made the most of the opportunities he’s had lately.
After being used mainly as a defensive sub, Casagrande has provided a spark at the plate over the past two weeks. It’s fair to say that without Casagrande’s clutch hitting, No. 8 Arizona wouldn’t have clinched a share of the Pac-12 championship.
“He can be as effective as anybody on our team,” said UA coach Jay Johnson, whose eighth-ranked Wildcats team closes the regular season with a three-game series against Dixie State starting Thursday at Hi Corbett Field.
“He certainly was a huge part of the Washington comeback and was huge in the comeback against Oregon State. I have a ton of confidence in him. He’s approached everything exactly the way a mature player does that is confident and believes in themselves.”
Casagrande wasn’t supposed to bat against UW two Fridays ago. He entered as a replacement in right field in the top of the ninth inning with Arizona holding a 13-12 advantage.
The Wildcats lost the lead and fell behind 16-13 entering the bottom of the 10th. When he came up with two out and two on, Casagrande had just three hits in 18 at-bats this season.
On an 0-2 pitch, Casagrande lined a single to left-center, scoring both runners. He then scored the tying run on Daniel Susac’s double. Arizona would win 17-16.
“It’s funny ... that wasn’t planned,” Casagrande said. “I ended up coming up. You’ve got to be ready for whatever.
“From a confidence standpoint, I know what I’m capable of. I don’t think it did anything for me personally — rather for the team, just trying to have a good at-bat to pass the baton. That’s more what it was about.”
The following Friday, at Oregon State, Casagrande again entered as a defensive replacement with Arizona leading 6-4 in the seventh. He led off the eighth by hitting hit first career home run, igniting a six-run inning in what became a 12-4 victory.
On Sunday, Casagrande made his fourth start of the season — a matchup move vs. OSU right-hander Jake Pfennigs, against whom Casagrande had two hits in 2019. Casagrande went 2 for 3, including a single in the four-run eighth inning in which Arizona erased a 5-1 deficit. The Wildcats would win 6-5, locking up the Pac-12’s automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament later in the day.
After registering only eight hits in the first 65 at-bats of his UA career, Casagrande has gone 5 for 7. He remained fully engaged, even when playing time wasn’t coming his way.
“It was easy,” Casagrande said. “To win a national championship, you’ve gotta have 13-14 guys that can contribute to a team; it’s not just nine good players.
“I was completely open to whatever my role was throughout the season as long as we were winning, and I took advantage of my opportunities when they came.”
Casagrande’s role appears to be growing as Arizona (38-14, 21-9 Pac-12) seeks a return to the College World Series. He first became familiar with the Wildcats in 2012, when his travel-ball team played a tournament in Omaha. Casagrande got to see Arizona play in person en route to winning its fourth national championship.
“From that moment on, it was like my dream school,” said Casagrande, who’s from Leesburg, Virginia. “I was like, ‘I want to play for Arizona.’ It was kind of the first taste of college baseball for me as a kid.”
Casagrande subsequently played in a tournament and participated in a camp in Tucson. His parents, Zach and Gena, attended James Madison; Zach, the team orthodontist for the NHL’s Washington Capitals, played baseball for the Dukes. Tyler wanted to do something different.
“I just thought it was in my best interest to come out here,” Casagrande said. “I thought it would make me a lot better just being able to play all year round and (for) the best coaching staff in the country. And then just the tradition of Arizona and the opportunity to compete to go to Omaha every year. Easy decision.”
No whistling past Dixie
Although they have secured the Pac-12’s auto bid and are all but assured of hosting in the regional round of the NCAA Tournament, Johnson doesn’t want the Wildcats to feel satisfied.
“We want to play both rounds of the postseason at Hi Corbett Field,” he said. “To give ourselves the best chance to do that is to win as many games as you can. When you look at how the (selection) committee usually looks at it, they take value in every game.”
Dixie State comes to Tucson with an RPI of 235 (Arizona was No. 5 entering Wednesday). Playing in Division I for the first time, the Trailblazers are 23-30. But they’re 21-15 in the Western Athletic Conference and have won their past eight games.
Johnson said he has “zero concerns” about the Wildcats looking past the Trailblazers. Reliver Vince Vannelle said veterans such as Donta’ Williams, Branden Boissiere and Ryan Holgate will make sure the team is locked in.
“They’re not going to go through the motions out here,” Vannelle said. “They’re not those kind of people.”
Inside pitch
Vannelle and fellow fifth-year senior Preston Price will be honored during Senior Day festivities before the regular-season finale Saturday. Johnson said all players who have graduated will be recognized.
Price, who’s been out since April 9 because of an arm injury, is expected to return to the mound against DSU. Does that mean he’s 100% healthy? “I haven’t seen him in a game yet,” Johnson said. “But the plan is to pitch him this weekend.”
Arizona’s No. 1 starter, Chase Silseth, will throw in Game 2 Friday to keep him on his usual rest schedule. Likewise No. 2 starter Garrett Irvin, who will pitch Saturday. The starter for Thursday is TBA.
Dixie State’s pitching coach, Zach Wilkins, played for Johnson at Nevada. Wilkins then spent two seasons as a graduate assistant under Johnson at Arizona.
The Dixie State series will be the first this season featuring up to 100% capacity at Hi Corbett. That threshold will remain in effect for the postseason.
