Throughout this long, difficult season, Arizona baseball coach Chip Hale has tracked what he refers to as “free 90s.”
Free 90s are advancements from one base to another — 90 feet — by means other than a hit. So it could be a walk, a hit batsman, an error, a stolen base, etc.
Far too often this year, the Wildcats (9-19, 2-7 Big 12) have surrendered too many free 90s to win games in their injury-depleted state.
In Tuesday’s 7-4 loss to No. 13 West Virginia, UA pitchers yielded a season-high 10 walks. It was the ninth time this season that Arizona has issued six or more. The Wildcats have lost all nine games.
It’s a stark contrast to the past two seasons. Under former pitching coach Kevin Vance, Arizona was among the best in the nation at limiting free passes.
The Wildcats had only six games with six-plus walks each of the past two years — and one of them was a 16-inning affair at West Virginia.
Arizona reliever Benton Hickman gives a big yell after getting out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam against UConn, Feb. 19, 2026, at Hi Corbett Field.
In 2024, Arizona led the nation in fewest walks allowed per nine innings — 2.56. Last year, the Wildcats were eighth at 3.27. They entered Tuesday’s game 79th at 4.06. That figure now sits at 4.27.
“We gave them pretty much all seven runs,” Hale said afterward. “They did a good job of baserunning and putting some pressure on us. But the walks, the hit batsmen, the error, those things kill you.”
As Hale often says, you can’t give good teams free bases. West Virginia is one of the best teams in the Big 12. So is No. 25 Arizona State (21-8, 5-4), which comes to Hi Corbett Field for a three-game series Thursday-Saturday.
“If we give them free 90s,” Hale said, “it's not gonna be pretty.”
Arizona's Garrett Hicks delivers a pitch in the 12th inning vs. UCF on Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Orlando, Fla.
Arizona used five pitchers against West Virginia. Only one, reliever Matthew Martinez, did not allow a walk. The other four — Jack Lafflam, Evan Brandt, Maclain Roberts and Benton Hickman — yielded at least two apiece.
Hickman pitched himself into and out of a jam in the eighth inning. The Mountaineers loaded the bases with one out via a hit-by-pitch — Hickman’s team-leading eighth of the season in 11 innings — and a pair of walks. The freshman then struck out the next two batters.
First-year UA pitching coach Sean Kenny is bullish on Hickman’s stuff; he has 17 strikeouts in those 11 frames. But he also has 16 combined walks and hit batsmen.
Senior right-hander Garrett Hicks — who has known Hickman since they were in Little League together in the Phoenix area and is currently his catch partner — said it’s a matter of finding a balance between competing hard and not overthrowing.
“You gotta just trust your stuff,” Hicks said. “He's trying to throw everything too hard, too fast. ... So I've just been talking to him like, ‘Hey, you can go out there and you can be 92-93 (mph) and be perfectly fine.'”
Hicks also said that pitchers who are making the move from high school to college often think they have to be “perfect all the time.”
“It’s OK to give up hits,” Hicks said. “It’s when you fall behind in counts or lose counts. The young guys are starting to learn.”
Not acing it so far
Arizona’s top two starters, Owen Kramkowski and Smith Bailey, haven’t been as effective in 2026 as they were in ’25. Walks aren’t the main issue for them.
Arizona pitcher Owen Kramkowski deals to Fresno State in the bottom of the first inning, March 6, 2026, at Hi Corbett Field.
Kramkowski has struggled with the long ball, yielding six home runs in 34⅔ innings compared to eight in 92 innings last year. His homer-to-flyball rate has climbed from 8.0% to 13.3%.
Bailey has had trouble getting through the first inning unscathed since Big 12 play began. He has allowed seven runs in the first inning in his three conference starts compared to eight runs in all other innings (11⅓).
Hale believes both are due to deliver, even on short rest.
“I think Kram’s starting to get it,” Hale said. “He's been pitching better and better. I think Smith is primed to have one of his better outings.”
The two have been a bit unlucky this season. Both are allowing a much lower line-drive rate than last year while getting worse overall results. Kramkowski’s line-drive rate has fallen from 21.1% to 14.5%, per D1Baseball. Bailey’s has dropped from 20.4% to 14.8%.
‘Full Wildcat now’
Facing ASU is always a big deal. It’s an even bigger deal for the 15 players on Arizona’s roster who are from the Phoenix area.
Center fielder Carson McEntire, who attended Mountain Ridge High School in Glendale, is the son of two ASU alums. But since McEntire transferred from Oregon State to Arizona last year, they’ve converted.
“The house is full Wildcat now, full go,” said McEntire, who had a home run and three RBIs vs. West Virginia. “My dad expects us to whip some Devil butt.”
Hicks is from Buckeye, but his parents were neither Sun Devils nor Wildcats. Hicks’ mom went to Montana, and his dad is an Ohio State fan.
Arizona batter Carson McEntire gets focused, waiting his turn at the plate, in the seventh inning against UConn, Feb. 19, 2026, at Hi Corbett Field.
Hicks wanted to stay in-state after attending Pima Community College. He rooted for the UA in the College World Series in 2016 and ’21, so Arizona it was.
“For me, there's a lot better legacy here,” said Hicks, who has two wins, two saves and a 3.29 ERA. “It's a family here. It's always been a family. Terry Francona, all those guys, they still come around, they still talk to us. ... They just treat you like you're a normal person.”
Bad timing
The series finale at 6 p.m. Saturday coincides with the Arizona men’s basketball team’s national semifinal against Michigan.
The UA would have moved the game if it were only being streamed on ESPN+. It just so happens to be one of two Wildcat games airing on ESPN2 this season. So there’s nothing the school can do.
“That’s just the way it goes,” Hale said.
Arizona should have large crowds for at least the first two games of the series.
“I hope so,” Hicks said. “Maybe not Saturday night. Shoot, we all wish we could go watch them play.”
‘Bonds-type year’
Hale told the story last year of how he tried to recruit Landon Hairston, the son of Scott Hairston, who played for Hale with the Tucson Sidewinders. The younger Hairston was set on going to ASU, where he has blossomed into a star as a sophomore.
Hairston, who attended Queen Creek Casteel, leads the Big 12 with a .469 batting average and a 1.578 OPS. He’s tied for second in the league with 17 home runs and is tied for first with 48 RBIs.
Arizona State infielder Landon Hairston runs out of the box against Omaha on Feb. 15, 2026, in Phoenix.
“It's hard to root against him,” Hale said. “He's a great kid, and they have a wonderful family.
“He's having a Barry Bonds-type year. We're gonna have to be very careful.”
Inside pitch
– Lafflam was pulled after two innings Tuesday after reporting that his arm “wasn’t feeling great,” Hale said. The initial diagnosis was promising, but the staff didn’t want to take any chances with its highly regarded flamethrower. “Especially a young pitcher, when he tells you that, it's immediate — he's out,” Hale said. “There's no ‘Hey, can you try to push through this inning?’ We didn't even talk about it. They looked at him during the game, and I think it was pretty good.”
– Left-hander Mason Russell is still rehabbing a sprained UCL. He threw from 60 feet recently and “looked good,” Hale said. But Russell remains out indefinitely. He’s one of four UA pitchers who have suffered season-ending or potentially season-ending injuries. Hale said the staff plans to push the pitchers “a little harder” in the weight room next offseason.
– Freshman outfielder Caleb Danzeisen could be back Thursday after missing the past three games because of a quadriceps injury. Even without Danzeisen, Arizona started six true or redshirt freshmen vs. West Virginia.
– Senior transfer Tyler Bickers, who began the season as the starting second baseman, was scheduled to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery Wednesday. Bickers, who appeared in 10 games, is out of eligibility. He hopes to sign with an independent-league team this summer.
– ASU leads the Big 12 with 58 home runs. West Virginia — which just took two of three from the Sun Devils at Phoenix Municipal Stadium and is ahead of them in the standings — ranks last with 19 homers.
– ASU pitchers have a league-best 311 strikeouts. No. 1 starter Cole Carlon ranks second in the conference with 55 strikeouts in 35⅓ innings. The left-hander fanned 10 Wildcats in 4⅓ innings out of the bullpen on April 6, 2025, in Phoenix.
– ASU won the first meeting between the teams this season, 10-4, on March 10 in Phoenix. They’re scheduled to play one more time after this weekend, on April 13, also in Phoenix.
