Arizona edges Sam Houston State, remains alive in NCAA Regional

LAFAYETTE, La. — Bobby Dalbec played third base Sunday. He played left field. He pitched six-plus innings.

That’s the where and what. But the when is what really matters: Dalbec will get to play again Monday.

Thanks to Dalbec’s gritty pitching, clutch relief work and timely hitting, Arizona survived an elimination game against Sam Houston State on Sunday to stay alive in the NCAA’s Lafayette Regional. The UA’s 6-5 victory at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field sets up a rematch with host and top seed Louisiana-Lafayette.

The game is scheduled for 11 a.m., Tucson time. The Wildcats must defeat the Ragin’ Cajuns — and then beat them again Monday night — to advance to the super-regional round.

Louisiana-Lafayette thumped Arizona 10-3 in the first game Sunday.

“It’s been a long day,” UA coach Jay Johnson said. “I’ve got to credit these guys. We’ve been on our feet for 14 hours. To have the toughness to play it pitch by pitch, to have some adversity … that’s totally the character of our team.”

With the season on the line, Johnson turned to Dalbec, the Wildcats’ starting third baseman and All-Pac-12 relief pitcher. Dalbec hadn’t started on the mound since April 17, but he gave Arizona just what Johnson was seeking: six innings of effective work.

Johnson said he chose Dalbec based on this premise: “If ISIS had my family on lockdown and we had to win for them release ’em, who would I want starting? There he is right there.” Johnson then pointed to Dalbec.

Dalbec battled through sticky, muggy conditions. He said he went through three undershirts in Sunday’s first game, in which he played third and left, and two more in the second game.

“It feels good,” Dalbec said of helping Arizona keep its season alive. “No other words for it.”

Dalbec allowed two runs on seven hits before exiting in the bottom of the seventh with a runner on first and a 2-1 count on SHSU’s Bryce Johnson. Both Bearkats scored after Dalbec left the game and counted against his ledger.

In something of a surprise move, Johnson elected to not have Dalbec bat. The rest of the Wildcats provided just enough offense.

Arizona snapped a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fourth via a Ryan Aguilar triple and doubles by JJ Matijevic and Cesar Salazar.

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After Dalbec pitched out of a major jam in the bottom of the fourth — second and third with no outs — Arizona tacked on another run in the top of the fifth. Aguilar’s sacrifice fly, which scored Zach Gibbons, made it 4-1.

Sam Houston State manufactured a run in the bottom of the fifth, but Arizona responded with two the next inning. After the Bearkats intentionally walked Gibbons to set up a lefty-lefty matchup, Alfonso Rivas III ripped a two-RBI triple to right-center.

Arizona needed every bit of it. Sam Houston State scored three runs in all in the seventh to make it a one-run game. After allowing consecutive singles, junior right-hander Kevin Ginkel got out of the inning and pitched a 1-2-3 eighth.

Ginkel exited in the ninth with one out and an 0-1 count on SHSU’s Zach Smith. Rivas entered from left field and struck out Smith. After issuing a walk, Rivas got Andrew Fregia to fly out to right to end the game.

“I already knew coach Johnson wanted to pitch me at some point during the game,” Rivas said. “In the back of my head, I just knew. I was pretty happy. I wanted that opportunity.”

Rivas, a freshman, went 2 for 4 at the plate with two RBIs. He earned his second save of the season.

“He’s the next great player for Arizona baseball,” Johnson said. “I have no problem saying that. He knows we demand a lot out of him. It was great to see.”

It’s unclear who will start for Arizona on Monday. The leading candidates — Ginkel and lefty Cameron Ming — pitched in relief of Dalbec.

Johnson expressed confidence in his pitching depth between games Sunday.

“I love it. I feel great about it,” Johnson said. “I feel like our team is the best-situated to have success in this kind of scenario.”

Given how many pitchers were needed Sunday — and that Louisiana-Lafayette played only once — that’s probably no longer the case.

But Johnson had to do whatever he could to keep the season going. He didn’t have to say goodbye, unlike Sam Houston State coach Matt Deggs, who summed up the difficulty of the season suddenly ending.

“This is always the toughest day for me,” he said. “I hate that the ride’s over.”