LUBBOCK, Texas – Sophomore right-hander Cody Deason will start for the Arizona Wildcats in their elimination game Sunday vs. Sam Houston State in the NCAA Tournament’s Lubbock Regional. First pitch is scheduled for shortly after noon Tucson time.
Deason (5-2, 2.77 ERA) pitched one inning during Arizona’s 6-5, 12-inning victory over Delaware on Saturday. He would have pitched more, but a 2-hour, 18-minute rain delay limited him to that one frame. He faced four batters, striking out three. He threw 19 pitches.
Deason will face sophomore left-hander Seth Ballew (6-3, 3.99). The Bearkats threw a lefty at the Wildcats on Friday, and it worked as Sam Houston won 5-4 to push Arizona into the losers’ bracket. Coach Matt Deggs said he liked the matchup, and he’s going to that well again.
In the wee hours of Sunday morning, after Sam Houston State lost to host Texas Tech 6-0, Deggs predicted a “dogfight” against Arizona, which has become a familiar foe. Today’s game will be the fourth postseason meeting between the schools in the past two years.
“I think the two ballclubs are very similar, the way they go about their business,” Deggs said. “Both play extremely hard, play with a lot of energy, love to play. You can see the passion on both sides.
“Neither one of us wants to see our season end. Whoever wins will absolutely have to finish the other guy, I promise you that.”
Here's Arizona’s lineup:
- Cal Stevenson, RF
- JJ Matijevic, 1B
- Jared Oliva, CF
- Alfonso Rivas, DH
- Ryan Haug, LF
- Nick Quintana, 3B
- Cesar Salazar, C
- Kyle Lewis, 2B
- Louis Boyd, SS
