A rough weekend for Arizona baseball ended with a 9-3 loss to Texas Tech on Sunday in Lubbock.
The defeat gave the 16th-ranked Wildcats their first series loss on the road as members of the Big 12 Conference.
Additionally, star junior Brendan Summerhill suffered an apparent hamstring or glute injury in his second game back after missing a month because of a fractured hand.
Summerhill returned against UT Arlington on Wednesday and hit a home run in his first at-bat. He had a two-RBI double against the Red Raiders in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday after the series opener Friday was rained out. But while trying to beat out a grounder to third base in the fifth inning, Summerhill grabbed the back of his left thigh. He sat out the rest of the contest and the final two games of the series.
Arizona (30-13, 13-8 Big 12) fell behind in all three games. The Wildcats trailed 3-0 Sunday entering the top of the fifth, when Aaron Walton hit a two-run homer. It was his second home run of the series.
Arizona right fielder Brendan Summerhill chases down a drive along the line by Cincinnati batter Charlie Niehaus for the last Bearcat out in the fifth inning of their Big 12 game March 14, 2025, at Hi Corbett Field.
But the one-run deficit was short-lived. UA starter Smith Bailey loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning. Reliever Hunter Alberini yielded a sacrifice fly and a three-run homer, giving Texas Tech (15-24, 10-11) a 7-2 lead. The Wildcats never seriously threatened from that point forward.
Arizona failed to put its leadoff man on base Sunday and went 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position.
Arizona had a 3-2 lead Saturday when Summerhill got hurt. The Wildcats lost 12-3 as relievers Casey Hintz and Garrett Hicks struggled in a series opener for the second straight week. Hintz entered in the third inning after starter Collin McKinney lasted just 2⅔ frames.
Arizona rallied for a 2-1 victory in Game 2 of the doubleheader thanks to the pitching of Owen Kramkowski and Tony Pluta. Kramkowski improved to 7-3 after allowing only one run in seven innings and notching his third quality start in his past four outings. Pluta allowed one hit in two scoreless innings to earn his league-leading ninth save.
Walton tied Game 2 with a solo homer in the sixth. Garen Caulfield gave the Wildcats the lead later in the inning with an RBI single.
Arizona starter Collin McKinney deals in the sixth inning against Oklahoma State in their Big 12 game April 11, 2025, at Hi Corbett Field. McKinney gave up seven hits and no earned runs in 5⅔ innings.
Arizona has lost three straight series openers and was outscored by Texas Tech 22-8.
The Wildcats host New Mexico State on Tuesday before a three-game home series vs. TCU Friday-Sunday.
