Arizona baseball hosts 4-game series versus Pepperdine after three days off

After beating top-ranked Texas A&M and number 18 Mississippi State and losing to number three Tennessee in Houston last weekend, Arizona returns home to host Pepperdine for a four-game series beginning on Thursday night. Pepperdine is 3-10 and started the season with seven consecutive losses.

The loss to Tennessee in the final game in Houston on Sunday ended a seven-game Arizona winning streak. Arizona began the season with three consecutive losses to Mississippi, Clemson and Louisville at Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas. Arizona did not have a mid-week game after returning from Houston.

Arizona and Pepperdine have played 48 times in a series that began in 1948. The Wildcats and Waves have not played since 1991 when former Arizona head coach Andy Lopez was in the same position at Pepperdine. After losing the series opener 4-3, Pepperdine dominated with 7-1 and 15-0 wins to clinch the series.

Pepperdine has struggled in recent seasons with their last winning season in a full year in 2018 when the Waves finished 31-24. Utah swept Pepperdine in a four-game series to begin the season in the Waves only games against a power conference team during the 2025 season.

The pitching matchups are Michael Hilker Jr. (1-1, 36.00) for Arizona versus Jordan Cole (0-0, 2.89) for Pepperdine on Thursday followed by Collin McKinney (0-1, 0.79) against Tommy Scavone (0-1, 2.12) on Friday, Owen Kramkowski (1-1, 9.26) versus RHP Matthew Boyer (1-1, 3.31) Saturday and Smith Bailey (0-1, 1.26) against Dylan Stewart (0-1, 12.00) on Sunday.

Thursday through Saturday first pitch is at 6 PM and Sunday will begin a noon with all games Mountain Standard time on ESPN+. Arizona is 4-0 at Hi-Corbett Field this season with a win over New Mexico on February 18 and three game sweep of San Diego February 21-23.