The nationally televised NCAA Selection Show didn’t exist when Chip Hale was a player at Arizona in the 1980s. Per Hale’s recollection, Wildcats coach Jerry Kindall simply would get a phone call and tell the team where it was going.
So watching — and waiting — was a new experience for Hale on Monday. It became a nerve-racking one.
Arizona was projected to make the NCAA Tournament by every reputable publication. But when more than half the field had been revealed, and the Wildcats weren’t part of it, anxiety crept into the clubhouse at Hi Corbett Field.
Finally, in the 31st minute of the hour-long program on ESPN2, “Arizona” flashed across the screen. The Wildcats celebrated before conducting a brief workout.
Arizona landed in the Coral Gables Regional, hosted by No. 6 overall seed Miami. The UA, the 2-seed in the regional, will face a familiar foe — Ole Miss, which came to Hi Corbett last June to face Arizona in the Tucson Super Regional.
Both teams were national seeds a year ago, and the Wildcats defeated the Rebels two games to one to advance to the College World Series. Ole Miss (32-22) wasn’t expected to earn a berth this year but made it as one of the “last four in.”
Both programs return several regulars from a year ago, but they’re different teams squaring off in a different environment. Playing on the road in an unfamiliar stadium is nothing new for the 2022 Wildcats.
Noah Turley and Arizona face Mississippi on Friday, and may have to get past host Miami — the No. 6 national seed — to advance out of the Coral Gables Regional.
Arizona (37-23) began the season in the State Farm College Baseball Showdown at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. They defeated Kansas State, Oklahoma and Texas Tech. The Sooners went on to win the Big 12. The Red Raiders also qualified for the NCAA Tournament.
Arizona ended the season in the Pac-12 Tournament at Scottsdale Stadium. The Wildcats opened the inaugural event by defeating NCAA-bound Oregon. They were eliminated by league champion Stanford, which earned the No. 2 overall seed Monday.
In between, Arizona played at Pacific, New Mexico, Grand Canyon, Creighton and New Mexico State.
“We’ve been the road warriors this year,” Hale said. “This is probably the most this school has traveled in a long time. So we’re definitely battle-tested.”
Arizona is also tournament-tested. Although they were ousted in the semifinals, they got a chance to feel the pressure of a double-elimination tournament in Scottsdale. Hale described Friday’s victory over Arizona State as a “must-win game.” A loss to the Sun Devils would have damaged the Wildcats’ RPI. Who knows what would have happened if they had lost?
“I think it really helps us,” Hale said. “A lot of the coaches were wary of having a tournament and getting injured. ... A lot of teams had some guys get dinged up. But in the end, all of us felt like, ‘Hey, this has prepared us way better for next week.’ ”
Arizona didn’t face anything like what Oregon State and UCLA endured Saturday; the Bruins rallied to defeat the Beavers 25-22 in 10 innings before OSU walked off and eliminated UCLA 8-7 late Saturday night. But the Wildcats had to go deep into their bullpen — a scenario they’re hoping to avoid in at least the first two games in Coral Gables.
“We've been the road warriors this year,” said UA coach Chip Hale. “This is probably the most this school has traveled in a long time. So we're definitely battle-tested."
Either left-hander Garrett Irvin or righty TJ Nichols will start against Ole Miss on Friday (4 p.m., ESPNU). Irvin struggled against the Rebels last year, allowing seven earned runs in a season-low 1 1/3 innings. Nichols stymied them in the deciding game, allowing only one run in 5 1/3 innings out of the bullpen.
Irvin (5-4, 3.22 ERA) has been far more consistent than Nichols (5-4, 5.51) this season.
Ole Miss returns the bulk of its lineup from 2021. Its pitching staff has undergone a significant transformation.
While the UA coaching staff works up scouting reports on Ole Miss and the other regional participants, Hale wants his players to focus on themselves. It’s something Kindall emphasized back in the day.
“The main thing that Coach did with us — and I try to do every day, but we’ll try to do even more here — is don’t do anything that you’re not capable of,” Hale said. “Stay who you are. Just play your game.
“The position players, the pitchers, whoever it is who tries to do more than they’re capable of doing, it’s very difficult. You put a lot of pressure on yourself. Just do your one-ninth.”
Davis update
Hale said outfielder Chase Davis, who injured his left (throwing) shoulder on Saturday, “looks like he’s gonna be OK.”
Davis, who leads Arizona with 16 home runs, slammed into the wall at Scottsdale Stadium while making a catch in the bottom of the first inning. He was lifted for a pinch hitter in the top of the second.
“Chase was swinging today, obviously nice and easy, but the pain is not as bad as we thought it was gonna be,” Hale said. “So unless he takes another blow to it, there’s not really any worry of injuring it again.”
Whether Davis can play in the field remains to be seen. He hadn’t thrown when Hale spoke to the media Monday morning. Arizona could put Davis at DH and start Tyler Casagrande or Blake Paugh in left field.
“As long as we can have his bat in the lineup,” Hale said of Davis, “that’s a good thing for us.”
Inside pitch
Hale on how making the NCAA Tournament could boost recruiting: “Recruits want to go to places that go to the playoffs and have a chance to win national championships, go to Omaha. That’s a huge deal. ... So yeah, it’s important in our first year as a staff to get to a regional. But it’s even more important to play well in the regional and represent our conference.”
Hale said he was “really glad” that Grand Canyon made the NCAA Tournament. The Lopes were considered a bubble team after failing to win the WAC Tournament. “I know there were some (outlets) that had them left out,” Hale said. “But they’re one of the better teams that we played all season.” GCU won two of three vs. Arizona and notched victories against Oregon State, Texas Tech (twice) and Stanford.
Arizona’s Garen Caulfield and Daniel Susac were selected to the Pac-12 All-Tournament Team. Caulfield went 5 for 10 with a home run, three RBIs, four walks and zero strikeouts. Susac went 7 for 16 with three homers and seven RBIs.
