Because of technical difficulties, the first half-inning of Friday’s Oregon State-Arizona game did not air on Pac-12 Networks.
If you’re a UA fan, you probably wish that the broadcast had remained dark.
No. 6 Oregon State dominated No. 14 Arizona for the second night in a row, defeating the Wildcats 16-1 in front of an announced crowd of 5,004 at Hi Corbett Field.
The outcome clinched the series for the Beavers, who have outscored the Wildcats 25-3. It also set up a winner-take-all finale for the Pac-12 regular-season championship.
The winner of Saturday night’s game will finish atop the league standings and take the No. 1 seed into next week’s conference tournament in Scottsdale. Arizona (32-20, 19-10 Pac-12) can finish anywhere from first to third depending on Saturday’s results here and in Eugene, Oregon, where Oregon (36-16, 18-11) is seeking to sweep Washington State and would leapfrog the UA if they finish with the same conference record.
Chip Hale said he wasn’t surprised to see the Wildcats stumble a bit down the stretch in a high-pressure situation. But he also couldn’t pinpoint what the problem was.
“That’s what I just asked them,” Hale said. “Is there something going on? We’ll try some different things to prepare ourselves for tomorrow.”
Arizona’s troubles started almost immediately. OSU star and Pac-12 Player of the Year shoo-in Travis Bazzana led off the game with a double. After a popout, third baseman Richie Morales and first baseman Andrew Cain committed errors, allowing Bazzana to score. Another run came in on a wild pitch.
“That was just completely unacceptable on defense,” Hale said. “You can’t put your pitcher behind the eight ball like that. He gives you groundballs, and we’re not making any plays.”
The Beavers (41-12, 19-9) added two more runs in the second against UA starter Clark Candiotti, who pitched better than his final line suggests. The inning featured a swinging-bunt single and a potential double play that the Wildcats failed to initiate. On that same play, Cain tossed the ball back to Candiotti, who lost it in the sun, enabling an OSU baserunner to advance to third and frustrating the fans who were hoping to see a better performance.
Because of the early errors, Candiotti had to throw 21 pitches in the first inning and lasted only five frames. He allowed six runs (four earned) on eight hits with one walk and six strikeouts.
Arizona was forced to start Casey Hintz — primarily a pitcher — in center field with three outfielders unavailable because of injuries. With a weakened lineup, the Wildcats needed to excel in other facets of the game. Their defense was uncharacteristically sloppy (four errors; season-high five unearned runs), and the bullpen failed to keep the Beavers within striking distance (OSU scored four runs in the sixth, three in the seventh and three in the ninth).
Meanwhile, Arizona’s hitters again struggled to square up the ball. The Wildcats managed just six hits for the second straight game. They have only one extra-base hit (a Cain double on Thursday) in the series.
“These are young kids,” Hale said. “Maybe we’re pressing, maybe we’re tired, maybe we’re beat up. But that’s a good team across the way. They’re smelling blood, and they’re getting after us.
“We’re gonna have to turn it around tomorrow. But it’s not going to be easy. They’re very hot right now.”
Arizona’s lackluster play gave off vibes of the New Mexico State game on March 26. The Wildcats trailed 9-1 and lost 12-9 to a team that isn’t in Oregon State’s stratosphere.
That game proved to be a turning point for the Wildcats, who went on a 11-game winning streak and had won 22 of 27 entering this series. They hadn’t lost two games in a row at home since March 15-16 vs. ASU.
Cam Walty, slated to start Saturday, has been a stopper for Arizona, posting an 8-1 record almost entirely in Sunday starts. The Wildcats need him to be at his best — and they need to play better behind him.
“We feel very confident in him,” Hale said. “We know he'll give us a shot. But we have to make the plays behind him. We can't continue to not make plays.
“If we make the plays that are presented to us — not the impossible plays but just routine plays — we should be in good shape.”
Inside pitch
• UA right fielder Emilio Corona, who exited Thursday’s game after his right hand was struck by a pitch, did not play. Hale declined to discuss Corona’s status. He had a wrap on his hand.
• Left fielder Easton Breyfogle (hamstring) is not expected to play Saturday. His backup, TJ Adams (shoulder), also is out.
• Tommy Splaine, normally a first baseman, recorded the final out in the top of the ninth. Splaine, who came to Arizona as a two-way player, allowed a walk before striking out Gavin Turley. Splaine made one previous pitching appearance as a Wildcat on Feb. 22, 2022.
• Nine UA players will participate in a Senior Night ceremony before Saturday’s regular-season finale.
• The Pac-12 Networks’ technical issues began Thursday, resulting in a one-camera broadcast with no replays. Friday’s game also had only one camera but did have replay capabilities.
Chip Hale on Arizona's 'unacceptable' defensive play in a 16-1 loss to Oregon State and what the Wildcats need to do to beat the Beavers with the Pac-12 regular-season title on the line in the series finale (video by Michael Lev / Arizona Daily Star)
Photos: Arizona gets roughed up 16-1 by Oregon State in the second game of their weekend series, Pac 12 baseball
The pickoff throw bounces off Oregon State’s Travis Bazzana (37) and past Arizona second baseman Garen Caulfield (1) in the first inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz. Bazzana didn’t advance on the play.
Arizona starter Clark Candiotti (44) fields the bunt of Oregon State’s Easton Talt (6) that brought a run home in the fifth inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz., the second game of the weekend series.
Arizona third baseman Richie Morales (7), top, and shortstop infielder Mason White (24) chase down a grounder from Oregon State’s Gavin Turley (1) that got away from Morales in the first inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona second baseman Garen Caulfield (1) makes a futile stab at Oregon State’s Travis Bazzana (37) who slips into second for a double in the sixth inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana (37) and Arizona runner Mason White (24) watch the out call on an RBI fielder’s choice hit by Garen Caulfield (1) that drove home the Wildcats’ only run of the night in the sixth inning of a 16-1loss at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz., in the second game of the weekend series. The loss dropped Arizona into second place in the Pac 12 by a half game.
Arizona shortstop Mason White (24) takes a dive but comes up short in pursuit of smash in the gap by Oregon State’s Elijah Hainline (3) in the ninth inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
First baseman Arizona’s Tommy Splaine (20) pitches in relief against Oregon State in the ninth inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz. Splaine got the final out of the Beavers’ half of the ninth.
Oregon State’s Gavin Turley (1) slides home with the second run of the night on a wild pitch against Arizona in the first inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
Oregon State’s Jabin Trosky (2) beats the throw to Arizona third baseman Richie Morales (7) as he advances from first to third on a ground ball out in the second inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona third baseman Richie Morales (7), playing in the shortstop’s hole on a shift, tracks down a grounder from Oregon State’s Brady Kasper (17) that went for single in the third inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz., the second game of the weekend series.
Arizona pitcher Matthew Martinez (28) makes a relief appearance against Oregon State in their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona third baseman Richie Morales (7) charges a soft grounder up the line by Oregon State’s Wilson Weber (18) that ended up an RBI fielder’s choice in the sixth inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona shortstop Mason White (24) gathers in a grounder from Oregon State Elijah Hainline (3) for fielder’s choice at second in the sixth inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona second baseman Garen Caulfield (1) makes the pivot after erasing Oregon State’s Wilson Weber (18) but doesn’t get the out at first for fielder’s choice in the sixth inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona third baseman Richie Morales (7) gets the hight hop on chopper by Oregon State’s Easton Talt (6) that went for an infield single in the sixth inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona second baseman Garen Caulfield (1) shovels a throw to second a step too late to get Oregon State’s Easton Talt (6) after losing the handle on a ball from Mason Guerra (9) in the sixth inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz. The Beavers pushed four runs across in their half of the inning.
Arizona’s Andrew Cain (3) just slips a single under Oregon State second baseman Travis Bazzana (37) in the seventh inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona right fielder Brendan Summerhill (4) recovers to come in and snare a tricky liner from Oregon State’s Dawson Santana (28) in the eighth inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona second baseman Garen Caulfield (1) slings a throw to first to retire Oregon State’s Jabin Trosky (2) after ranging wide to his left to get the Wildcats out of the sixth inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona pitcher Casey Hintz (16) works a walk against Oregon State in the seventh inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz. Hintz was drafted into playing centerfield for the shorthanded Wildcats.
Arizona shortstop Mason White (24) throws to first after getting Oregon State’s Mason Guerra (9) at second but can’t make the double play in the ninth inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona first baseman Andrew Cain (3) reaches back too late to tag Oregon State’s Jabin Trosky (2) after getting pulled off the bag on the relay throw from second on a double play attempt in the ninth inning of their Pac 12 game at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona’s Matthew Martinez (28) crouches in quiet spot of the outfield as the pitchers begin to take the field to work out just before first pitch against Oregon State iat Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona pitcher Cam Walty (38) gets his arm loose in a spot of the day’s last light before the Wildcats game against Oregon State at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz.
Arizona’s Tommy Splaine (20) works out in the shortstop hole, taking grounders during the Wildcats’ pregame work out before first pitch against Oregon State of for game two of their Pac 12 series at Hi Corbett Field, May 17, 2024, Tucson, Ariz. The first place Wildcats will look to clinch a Pac 12 title with a win in either of their remaining games with the second place Beavers.
