Arizona rallied in the ninth inning to defeat No. 1 Texas A&M 3-2 to conclude the first day of the Astros Foundation College Classic on Friday in Houston.
After starting the season 0-3, the Wildcats have won six in a row. The Aggies, who started 5-0, have lost three straight.
Trailing 2-1 entering the top of the ninth, Arizona scratched across two runs. Maddox Mihalakis led off with a double. Tommy Splaine’s one-out single put runners at first and third.
Easton Breyfogle then hit a chopper that Texas A&M shortstop Kaeden Kent couldn’t handle, enabling Mihalakis to score. Two batters later, Brendan Summerhill also reached on an infield single, sending Splaine home with the go-ahead run.
Casey Hintz shut down the Aggies in the bottom of the ninth, but the frame featured plenty of drama. With one out, Terrence Kiel II hit a roller to short. Mason White charged the ball and made an errant throw to first. Kiel tried to make it to third, but Summerhill, the right fielder, threw him out.
Arizona reliever Casey Hintz celebrates after getting the last out in the UA’s 3-2 comeback win over No. 1 Texas A&M on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025, at the Astros Foundation College Classic in Houston.
The play was reviewed for about 10 minutes before being upheld. Hintz then struck out Jace LaViolette, who’s projected to be a top-five pick in the MLB Draft, to end the game.
Hintz notched career highs with five innings and seven strikeouts out of the bullpen. After yielding a two-run homer in the fifth, Hintz posted four straight scoreless innings.
Hintz relieved starter Collin McKinney, who allowed two hits and struck out six in four scoreless frames.
Aaron Walton accounted for Arizona’s first run with a solo home run in the sixth. Summerhill had three of Arizona’s eight hits.
The Wildcats face No. 18 Mississippi State on Saturday at Daikin Park. MSU defeated Rice 14-3 earlier Friday.
