It’s almost here.
The 2025 college baseball season begins Friday. Arizona conducted a dress rehearsal Saturday afternoon at Hi Corbett Field, scrimmaging for a little over two hours in front of a sun-splashed crowd that seemed happy to see live baseball.
Michael Lev is a senior writer/columnist for the Arizona Daily Star, Tucson.com and The Wildcaster.
Here are 10 observations from the eight-inning contest, which saw the Blue team defeat the Red team 5-2:
– Each team batted 10 players. The Blue team was made up of the projected “starters.” They included Richie Morales, who was a part-time starter in 2024. The game started ominously for Morales, who made a throwing error at third base after fielding a leadoff chopper hit by TJ Adams. But Chip Hale likes Morales’ versatility — he can play third, second or shortstop — and the quality of his at-bats. Morales went 1 for 3 with a single and a walk. He had nearly as many walks (22) as strikeouts (25) last year. You could do worse for a fifth infielder — and Morales might be more than that.
– The starting pitchers were transfer Christian Coppola for the Red team and sophomore Owen Kramkowski for the Blue team. Coppola retired all six batters he faced. He regressed as a sophomore at Rutgers because of control issues but didn’t walk a batter on Saturday — although his first offering to No. 2 hitter Garen Caulfield hit the screen on the fly. Kramkowski, who allowed one unearned run in four innings, is an intriguing underclassman. He barely pitched as a senior at Walden Grove High School because of an elbow injury and made three appearances as a freshman for the UA. His fastball has reached the upper 90s, and he appears to have added a little bulk to his frame (currently listed at 6-3, 168; previously 6-2, 160).
Arizona coach Chip Hale talks to the Wildcats as they get ready for a practice session at Hi Corbett Field in February.
– Eric Orloff and Mason Russell, two of Arizona’s three left-handers, followed the starters. Both pitched two innings and neither allowed a run. Orloff, a senior, has established himself as a reliable arm out of the bullpen. Russell, a freshman, flashed the stuff that made him a top-100 prospect heading into last year’s MLB Draft. Russell struck out two batters — one on an off-speed pitch, one on a fastball — issued one walk and did not allow a hit. His exact role is still to be determined, but his breaking pitches are considered elite weapons.
– One of the most interesting matchups occurred in the top of the sixth inning when Russell faced his twin brother, Tyler, who started in left field for the Red team. Mason Russell thought he had struck out his brother looking on a 2-2 pitch, but the offering was called a ball. The next pitch was a clear ball, giving Tyler a walk. One can only imagine how many times the two squared off against each other in their backyard growing up, dreaming of scenarios like this.
Arizona right-hander Matthew Martinez gets his band work in before the Wildcats’ practice session at Hi Corbett Field on Feb. 4, 2025.
– The score stood at 1-0 in favor of the Red team until the bottom of the sixth, when the Blue team plated four runs. The rally started with Brendan Summerhill’s line-drive single to center field. Caulfield then walked. Mason White singled past second baseman Ethan Guerra to drive in Summerhill and tie the score. Aaron Walton’s groundout to third — which featured a diving stop by Mathis Meurant — scored Caulfield to make it 2-1. Andrew Cain then tripled into the right field corner to score White. Cain scored the fourth run on a wild pitch.
– The four runs came against right-hander Matthew Martinez, who had pitched a scoreless frame in the bottom of the fifth. Martinez, a transfer from South Mountain Community College, had an up-and-down first season at Arizona last year. He had his ERA down to 4.70 before an ineffective final outing against Oregon State increased it to 7.04. Martinez practically hops off the rubber when he delivers his pitches, and he’s able to create an arm angle from the third base side that makes his breaking ball more effective. Expect better results against opponents who aren’t as familiar with his stuff as the Wildcats.
Arizona freshman Jackson Forbes awaits his turn at bat against Pima Community College in Game 2 their exhibition doubleheader on Oct. 12, 2024, at Hi Corbett Field.
– The best defensive plays were turned in by Summerhill and freshman shortstop Jackson Forbes. Summerhill made a running catch on the warning track to rob Nate Novitske of a possible extra-base hit in the top of the fourth. Summerhill is playing right field this year after opening last season in left and starting 44 times in center. Right field is the easiest of the three spots at Hi Corbett — although any ball hit down the line has a chance to be a triple. Forbes made a sliding stop in the hole between third and short and threw a firm one-hopper to first to retire Adonys Guzman. Hale thinks highly of his freshman class — which also includes Novitske, who started at catcher for the Red team — but the reality is, few are going to play meaty roles this year.
– Summerhill’s baserunning was adventurous at times last season. He improved his base-stealing efficiency in the Cape Cod League but remains a work in progress. He nearly got picked off second base Saturday and hesitated after rounding first on a ball hit toward the right field corner. (He still made it to second easily.) Hale, who spent a chunk of the game coaching on the field, appeared to be instructing Summerhill after both plays. Summerhill has the speed to be a disruptive force on the basepaths. If he can improve his decision-making, he’ll become one.
Arizona's Julian Tonghini gets in his work against Hermosillo in the sixth inning of their game on the opening night of the Mexican Baseball Fiesta on Oct. 3, 2024, at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium.
– The last pitcher for the Red team was transfer Julian Tonghini. After a leadoff walk and a double play, Summerhill doubled (the one referenced above) and Caulfield drove him in with a single. Tonghini got four more outs, including strikeouts of Cain and Morales. Both appeared to be on fastballs up and away. Tonghini is renowned for his “gyro slider.” He has a history with pitching coach Kevin Vance at Boston College. Tonghini’s bio boasts of him having “the best jump shot in New England” and eating a pound of ground beef every morning. So yeah, lots going on here.
– Finally, more from the freshmen. Forbes doubled to right in the bottom of the eighth, and Gunner Geile drove him in with a line single to left. Geile is from Tucson and spent his first three years of high school at Salpointe Catholic. He then transferred to IMG Academy for his senior year. He played right field for the Red team and misplayed a shallow fly ball in the bottom of the eighth. Geile appeared to suffer a minor injury on the play, forcing him to exit the scrimmage.
