The typical baseball season can be a “rollercoaster,” according to UA junior outfielder Mac Bingham.
“Baseball is a bunch of ups and downs,” Bingham said. “You ride it when it’s high and when it’s low, it’s really low.”
The UA baseball team experienced both of those over the last month or so. After reeling off nine straight wins earlier in the year, Arizona has lost six straight Pac-12 games after getting swept on the road by UCLA and Arizona State the past two weekends.
But “it will all work itself out,” Bingham believes.
“Every team is going to go through it. I don’t think anyone is down on this team. We’re all still confident in what we have and what we’re capable of, so I think you just kind of have to ride the wave,” he added.
The Wildcats (14-9, 3-6 Pac-12) showed that Tuesday, winning a back-and-forth, extra-inning outing, 10-9, over Grand Canyon. That win gives the Wildcats some momentum heading into this weekend’s series at Hi Corbett Field against Oregon (15-7, 3-3).
“We talked about it the three days in Phoenix. We just needed to find a way to win a game,” coach Chip Hale said. “Sometimes you play okay, you do things right, you play good defense, you pitch, you hit but you just can’t get the big hit or make the right play when you need to or make the right pitch when you need to.”
UA shortstop Nik McClaughry (11) (shown tossing to second baseman Garen Caulfield (1) for an inning ending double play in Arizona's home opener Feb. 25 against West Virginia) and the Wildcats are back at Hi Corbett this weekend against Oregon, in hopes that a little bit of momentum from their back-and-forth, extra-innings win Tuesday against Grand Canyon might bleed into their Pac-12 series with the Ducks.
Arizona’s win over GCU on Tuesday began an eight-game homestand at Hi Corbett, providing the Wildcats a chance to find some momentum back as they currently sit at 10-2 at home this season.
The Ducks have been one of the more aggressive offenses at the plate so far this season, currently sitting at the top in home runs (37) and at the bottom in walks drawn (80).
“They’ve got really good hitters,” Hale said. “We’ve seen a bunch of them. There are a few JC kids… We’re just going to have to pitch well. We’re not really pitching at our best. I think a couple of weeks ago, we felt really good about how we were pitching and that’s something we just have to get better at. That’s how baseball works. You go from one week to the next and hitting might be top notch, the pitching might be good and it flips back-and-forth.”
Oregon also has some speed in their lineup with leadoff hitter Rikuu Nishida leading the conference in stolen bases with 11 so far this season. Arizona catchers have seen the third most stolen bases attempted against them (27) to this point in the Pac-12, making that a point of emphasis to watch this weekend.
“That’s one thing we have not been great at,” Hale said. “We have not been great at shutting down the run game, so we have to do a better job. Our catchers have thrown a couple guys out in the last week which is encouraging, but we have to do a better job of that… The best thing is to keep them off the base.”
One of the consistent bright spots all season so far for the Wildcats has been the consistency of the defense. After seeing struggles in the field for most of last season, Arizona is tied for second in fewest errors committed (19) and second in fielding percentage (.978) in the Pac-12.
“I think this is the best defense we’ve had here in my five years,” senior Tyler Casagrande said. “Everyone is in their natural positions.”
Inside pitch
RHP TJ Nichols (3-2, 5.29) and LHP Bradon Zastrow (2-1, 4.71) are slated to start on Friday and Saturday with Sunday’s starter still to be determined.
Chase Davis has 28 career home runs. He is three home runs shy of cracking the UA career top-10 list.
Six Wildcats made MLB Opening Day rosters on Thursday: Cesar Salazar (Astros), Kevin Ginkel (Diamondbacks), Kevin Newman (Reds), Andrew Nardi (Marlins), Mark Melancon (Diamondbacks), and Rob Refsnyder (Red Sox).
Arizona leads the Pac-12 in doubles (61). Oregon’s pitchers have walked the most hitters (119) and allowed the second-most home runs (24).
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Japan comes out victorious in a 3-2 win over the United States during the World Baseball Classic final on Tuesday.
