It’s down to Arizona and Oregon State for the Pac-12 regular-season championship.
The UA eliminated Utah with a 10-4, come-from-behind victory Sunday night at Smith’s Ballpark in Salt Lake City.
The triumph gave the Wildcats a series win and set up a showdown against the Beavers, who come to Hi Corbett Field for a three-game set starting Thursday.
Arizona (32-18, 19-8) needs one more win to clinch the regular-season title and the coveted No. 1 seed in the upcoming Pac-12 Tournament. OSU (39-12, 17-9) needs to sweep to steal the conference crown.
The Wildcats fell behind 2-0 Sunday before Andrew Cain ignited a turnaround. The freshman from Ironwood Ridge High School launched a two-run homer in the top of the fifth inning to tie the score. It was Cain’s third home run in his past three starts.
The next three UA batters walked. Garen Caulfield drove in a pair with a line single to left field. Brendan Summerhill followed with an RBI single to left to cap the five-run frame. Every run scored after two outs had been recorded.
Utah plated one run in the bottom of the fifth, but Arizona expanded its lead with a three-run sixth. Maddox Mihalakis started the scoring with a solo homer to right. Mason White drove in a run with a single to right. Summerhill drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 8-3.
Summerhill hit a two-run homer in the ninth to expand Arizona’s advantage to 10-4. The Wildcats were averaging less than one home run per game when the week started. They hit 10 in four games against ASU and Utah.
Summerhill went 3 for 4 with four RBIs. Caulfield was 2 for 4 with two RBIs.
UA starter Cam Walty didn’t have his best stuff, yielding three runs on nine hits in five innings. But Walty limited the damage by stranding seven runners and exited with the lead. His 8-1 record is the best in the Pac-12.
Relievers Bradon Zastrow, Eric Orloff, Tony Pluta, Jaeden Swanberg and Kyler Heyne combined to allow one run in four innings out of the bullpen.
Oregon State finished off a sweep of UCLA earlier Sunday and will bring a five-game winning streak into Tucson.
