Arizona’s new pitching gurus made their debut Thursday night, and the initial impression was overwhelmingly positive.
Eight Wildcat pitchers combined to allow one unearned run in a 3-1 victory over Naranjeros de Hermosillo on Day 1 of the 2023 Mexican Baseball Fiesta at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Fiesta, which features professional baseball teams from Mexico and live music, continues through Sunday.
The UA staff also didn’t walk a batter in its first exhibition game under pitching coach Kevin Vance and director of player development John DeRouin.
Pitching was the primary reason Arizona failed to advance past the regional round of the NCAA Tournament the past two seasons despite prolific offense and improved defense under Chip Hale. The Wildcats had a 5.04 ERA in 2022, and that figure swelled to 5.97 this past season.
“Really, really happy with the pitching,” said Hale, who’s entering his third season as Arizona’s head coach. “Coach Vance and Coach DeRouin are really doing a great job.
“The pitch calling tonight was fantastic.”
Hale said Vance and DeRouin have “built a great camaraderie” with the pitching staff while teaching new pitches, arm angles and grips. Right-handers were particularly effective throwing breaking balls on the inner half to right-handed batters Thursday.
“All these things are starting to work,” Hale said, “and it’s starting to show.”
Left-hander Jackson Kent started and didn’t allow a baserunner in two innings. He was followed by Anthony Susac, Bradon Zastrow, Raul Garayzar, Alessandro Castro, Tony Pluta, Matthew Martinez and Trevor Long. All pitched one inning apiece.
Kent, Susac, Zastrow, Pluta and Long are holdovers from last season; Garayzar, Castro and Martinez are junior-college transfers.
Susac, a big-time recruit who has struggled with injuries and inconsistency during his time with the Wildcats, allowed back-to-back singles to lead off the bottom of the third before retiring the next three batters, two via strikeout.
Zastrow, who went 6-5 in 15 starts last season; Garayzar, who prepped at Rio Rico High School; and Pluta each fanned two batters. Pluta, a sophomore, put up a wild stat line for the La Crosse Loggers of the Northwoods League in the summer. He allowed only six hits in 20 innings while walking 15 batters and striking out 38. He had a 4.05 ERA.
Arizona Anthony Susac (34) deals against Hermosillo in their matchup at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta on Thursday at Kino Sports Complex.
Here are some additional notes and observations from the game, the first of three exhibitions the Wildcats will play this fall:
Infielder Mason White, one of the top freshmen in the Pac-12 last season, did not play because of an arm injury. The former Salpointe Catholic standout will be out for about three weeks. “He’s got a little arm issue,” Hale said. “Just tweaked it a little bit. He’ll be fine.” White batted .313 with 35 extra-base hits in 208 at-bats as a freshman. He primarily played second base but has been working at shortstop during fall camp.
Without White, this was Arizona’s starting lineup: Brendan Summerhill, left field; Garen Caulfield, second base; Emilio Corona, right field; Maddox Mihalakis, third base; Tommy Splaine, first base; Blake McDonald, catcher; Brandon Rogers, DH; Xavier Esquer, shortstop; TJ Adams, center field. Esquer, the son of Stanford coach David Esquer, had been working at second base before White got hurt. Hale subbed out the entire lineup by the end of the game.
Corona produced the winning hit, a two-RBI, line-drive single to left in the top of the ninth. Corona finished 2 for 5 after striking out in his first three at-bats. The go-ahead hit came on a 2-2 pitch after Corona took a slider just off the outside corner. The transfer from Pima Community College proved to be one of Arizona’s most clutch late-inning performers last season, and that continued Thursday. “When it’s money time, that’s when he comes through,” Hale said.
Hermosillo shortstop Angel Axel Nieblas Casillas slaps the tag too late to keep Arizona’s Emillio Corona from a stolen base in the eighth inning of the teams’ Mexican Baseball Fiesta matchup Wednesday at Kino Sports Complex.
The UA defense had shaky moments and spectacular ones. Mihalakis was unable to field consecutive grounders in the bottom of the fourth inning, leading to Hermosillo’s lone run. The second play was a clear error. Esquer showed great range in the fifth, fielding a grounder in shallow center field before firing the ball to first to end the inning. The first out in the bottom of the ninth came on a diving catch of a sinking liner by Rogers, who had moved to center field by that point.
On the other end of Esquer’s throw was Splaine, who stretched his 6-5 frame to ensure the out was made. Splaine mainly played catcher last year, but first base could be his home after Arizona added multiple catchers in the offseason. Splaine did not throw out a single base stealer last season, when he struggled with injuries. He looked spry running the bases on a triple into the right-field corner.
How much has Arizona’s roster changed since last season? The current version features 39 total players — 19 of whom are newcomers. Only two players remain from the Jay Johnson era: Long and fellow right-hander Dawson Netz.
The roster features plenty of local flavor. Castro graduated from Pusch Ridge Christian Academy before playing for Pima. Freshman corner infielder Andrew Cain, via Ironwood Ridge, doubled to right in his first at-bat. He then got thrown out at third trying to advance on a grounder to short.
Attendees at the game included former UA shortstop Nik McClaughry, former Wildcat softball coach Mike Candrea and current UA men’s basketball coach Tommy Lloyd. McClaughry, currently with the San Diego Padres organization, chatted with Esquer and White before first pitch. Candrea and Lloyd spent a couple of innings hanging out in the UA dugout.
Photos: Opening day of the 2023 Mexican Baseball Fiesta
Hermosillo right fielder Ángel Fernando Ramírez Rodríguez (74) dives but comes up a few inches short of gloving a sinking liner by Arizona’s Tommy Splaine (20) in the fourth inning of their game at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023. Splaine ended up with a triple and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly.
Players from the Slam Sox Baseball Academy line up for high fives from the Hermosillo starters as they take the field to face the Arizona Wildcats in their game at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023. The game between the Wildcats and Naranjeros was the night cap on the first day of action in this year’s Fiesta.
Hermosillo batter Ramón Mendoza Nevárez (77) watches a third strike smack into the dusty mitt of Arizona catcher Blake McDonald (2) during the fourth inning in their game at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Obergon pitcher Odrisamer Desipaigner throws during the first inning of the Yaquis game against Navojoas in the opening game at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Arizona centerfielder Brandon Rogers (8) charges in to snare a sinking line drive by Hermosillo batter Luis Alfonso Cruz Bojórquez (47) for the first out in the bottom of the ninth and the Wildcats clinging to a 3-1 lead in their game at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Arizona shortstop Xavier Esquer (10) tracks down a sharp grounder in the hole by Hermosillo batter Maxwell Leon Burgos in their game at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Arizona second baseman Garen Caulfield (1) gathers his gear on his way to play defense after being stranded in the top of the first against Hermosillo at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Arizona center fielder TJ Adams (23) runs down a fly ball into no man’s land by Hermosillo Alejandro Robles García (8) to end the Naranjeros second in their game at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Arizona's Anthony Susac deals against Hermosillo in their game at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta at the Kino Sports Complex on Oct. 5, 2023.
Arizona first baseman Tommy Splaine (20) fields a grounder down the line by Hermosillo batter Jasson Abelardo Atondo Diarte (7) for the third out and stand two Naranjeros runners in their game at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Arizona third baseman Maddox Mihalakis (33) can’t control a broken bat nubber down the left field line by Hermosillo batter Jose Gutierrez Berlanga for a hit in the fourth in their game at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Hermosillo shortstop Angel Axel Nieblas Casillas slaps the tag too late to keep Arizona’s Emillio Corona (11) from a stolen base during the teams’ Mexican Baseball Fiesta matchup on Oct. 5, 2023, at Kino Sports Complex.
Arizona shortstop Xavier Esquer (10) gets the generous bounce Hermosillo’s Ramón Mendoza Nevárez (77) to end the bottom of the ninth and the game with the Wildcats winning 3-1 at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Arizona centerfielder Brandon Rogers (8) tracks back to bring down a long fly ball by Hermosillo’s Maxwell Leon Burgos during the sixth inning in their game at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Arizona Zach Plasschaert (36) dives back as the pick-off throw gets away from Hermosillo second baseman Alejandro Robles García (8) in their game at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Obergon runner Samuel Favela (45) can’t twist his way around the tag by Navojoas’ third baseman M. Lloyd (2) to end the second inning with a strike-out/throw-out double play in their Mexican Baseball Fiesta matchup on Oct. 5, 2023, at Kino Sports Complex.
Obergon third baseman Jake Gatewood (72) manages to get under a twisting pop fly by Navajoa batter M Lloyd (2) in the third inning of the opener of the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
Navojoa shortstop Sam Dexter backs up to snare a stinging grounder against Obregon in their game in the Mexican Baseball Fiesta at the Kino Sports Complex on Oct. 5, 2023.
A Navajoas pinch hitter gets loose in the dugout in the late innings against Obergon in their game at the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, Kino Sports Complex, Tucson, Ariz., October 5, 2023.
You never know who you’ll run into at the annual Mexican Baseball Fiesta. Last year, former Arizona softball coach Mike Candrea, left, and current Wildcat basketball coach Tommy Lloyd take in a few innings of the UA’s game against Hermosillo from the dugout on Oct. 5, 2023, at Kino Sports Complex.
