CORAL GABLES, Fla. — The Arizona Wildcats (39-24) orchestrated a miraculous comeback against one of the top closers in college baseball to beat the Miami Hurricanes (40-20) on Sunday night and advance to the Coral Gables Regional Final.
Arizona will now face Ole Miss on Monday at 10:00 a.m. MST, looking to force an if necessary deciding game later in the day to advance to the Super Regional round of play.
Following a solo home run from
Tony Bullard in the eighth inning, the Wildcats found themselves trailing the Hurricanes by one run entering the final frame with their season on the line.
After a pair of strikeouts to open the ninth,
Nik McClaughry worked an infield single to shortstop and advanced to second for designated hitter
Daniel Susac, who was promptly hit by a pitch. The next batter,
Tanner O'Tremba, worked a 1-1 count before lacing a two-out double to the wall in right-center field, scoring two runs and giving Arizona a 4-3 lead, their first lead of the night.
Right-handed pitcher
Quinn Flanagan, for the second time on Sunday, drew the role of closer for the Wildcats. Miami managed to get the game-tying runner to third base with one out before a strikeout and ground out ended the threat and extended Arizona's season.
Wildcats starting pitcher
Dawson Netz worked four one-hit innings for Arizona and limited Miami to just one run.
Arizona WildBATS
- RF Tanner O'Tremba: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB
- 3B Tony Bullard: 2-for-4, R, 2B, HR, RBI
- CF Mac Bingham: 1-for-4, R, HR, RBI
- SS Nik McClaughry: 2-for-4, R
- DH Daniel Susac: 2-for-4
Bullpen Bullies
- LHP Javyn Pimental: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 K
- RHP Trevor Long: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, Win (6-3)
- RHP Quinn Flanagan: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 K, Save (2)
Numbers of the Night
- Arizona right-hander Quinn Flanagan picked up not only his second save of the season, but his second of the day. Flanagan notched back-to-back saves in elimination games against Canisius and Miami on Sunday in Coral Gables.
- The Wildcats limited the Hurricanes to just four hits, tied for their lowest output of the season.
Photo of the Night
Social Media Coverage
Up Next
Arizona and Ole Miss will square off in the NCAA Coral Gables Regional Final tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. MST. Should the Wildcats win game one, a final deciding game will take place approximately 55 minutes following the conclusion of Game 1. Television selections have not yet been finalized.
Â
