SURPRISE — Arizona lost its first three games last season and ended up in the College World Series.
That doesn’t mean the Wildcats wanted to follow the exact same script.
Despite solid starting pitching for the second straight day, the Cats couldn’t avoid that fate. No 24 Arizona lost 4-1 to Michigan in the final game of the College Baseball Series Sunday at Surprise Stadium.
“Last year I probably said the same thing, but we just didn’t play well enough,” UA coach Chip Hale said. “These are three quality teams. ... We’ll just keep working. We’ve got Nebraska Omaha and then Connecticut for four games. Try to get right like we did last year.”
After going 0-3 in the Shriners Children’s College Showdown in Arlington, Texas, last season, Arizona rattled off seven straight victories. That team had more experience than this one, and Hale conceded that it could take longer for the lineup to gel.
After scoring 13 runs in the first two games of the tournament, the Wildcats couldn’t get anything going offensively against the Wolverines. Arizona managed only seven hits and one walk against Michigan’s Kurt Barr and Shane Brinham.
Arizona coach Chip Hale surveys the field during the final day of the College Baseball Series at Surprise Stadium in Surprise on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
“We were in between all the time,” Hale said. “We were getting jammed by fastballs and way out in front of breaking balls. And that's just not who we are.”
UA starter Collin McKinney began last season atop the rotation before eventually falling out of it entirely. His biggest issue was erratic control, and his 2026 debut didn’t start off promisingly: He walked the first UM batter, Brayden Jefferis, on four pitches.
Although Jefferis came around to score, McKinney quickly got into a groove. He limited the Wolverines to two runs in 4⅔ innings with eight strikeouts. Most important, McKinney walked only two batters and didn’t hit any; he had a team-high 14 hit batsmen last season.
Reliever Evan Brandt wasn’t quite as precise. After surrendering a leadoff single in the bottom of the sixth, Brandt walked a pair of batters to load the bases. Michigan then scored two runs on perfectly executed bunts — the first a safety squeeze, the second a drag bunt vs. left-hander Patrick Morris. That bumped the Wolverines’ lead from 2-1 to 4-1.
Arizona starter Collin McKinney delivers a pitch against Michigan during the final day of the College Baseball Series at Surprise Stadium in Surprise on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026.
Arizona’s lone run came on Beau Sylvester’s RBI single in the top of the fourth. Sylvester came through in the same type of scenario that the Wildcats failed to execute in the previous inning — scoring a runner from third with less than two outs.
In that instance, No. 9 hitter Mathis Meurant made it to third with no outs via a walk, a stolen base and an error. The top of the lineup failed to bring him home. Tyler Bickers and Maddox Mihalakis struck out, and Andrew Cain grounded out.
Those three hitters combined to go 1 for 12, with Cain providing the lone hit.
Inside pitch
– Arizona’s first two opponents stole 10 bases in 10 attempts, and the streak reached 11 when Jefferis swiped second in the bottom of the first. The streak ended — sort of — in the bottom of the second. Evan Haeger appeared to have second stolen. But Greg Pace Jr. crossed over the plate after striking out, getting in the way of Sylvester. Haeger was ruled out because of interference.
– Hale said outfielder Easton Breyfogle could return to the lineup for Tuesday’s home opener after missing the opening series. Breyfogle hurt his left (non-throwing) shoulder on a slide in an intra-squad scrimmage. He’s been able to take batting practice and play catch.
– UA catcher Roman Meyers is in concussion protocol after getting hit with a foul tip Saturday. Meyers likely won’t be back until the weekend.
– Freshman right-hander Jack Lafflam could get the start vs. Omaha on Tuesday. Sophomore left-hander Mason Russell also is expected to pitch. Senior lefty Luc Fladda could start Thursday so that Arizona can keep its weekend starters on regular rest.
– Michigan coach Tracy Smith recorded his 900th career victory Saturday night vs. Stanford. Smith coached at Arizona State from 2015-21, going 201-155. The Wolverines went 3-0 in the College Baseball Series.
