Andrew Cain tied the Big XII Championship Game with a leadoff home run in the top of the ninth inning and Maddox Mihalakis singled home Mason White in the top of the 10th as Arizona beat TCU 2-1 on Saturday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Arizona struggled offensively throughout the game with only three hits through eight innings and poor situational hitting. The Wildcats finished with four hits in 16 at-bats with runners on base, were one for 10 with runners in scoring position and zero for nine with two outs.
Arizona and TCU both received outstanding pitching throughout the game. Arizona held TCU to one hit in 10 at-bats with two outs, two hits in 14 at-bats with runners on base and no hits in five at-bats with two outs. TCU scored their only run of the game in the first inning.
With runners on second and third and one out, TCU cleanup hitter Noah Franco grounded out to second to score Sawyer Strosnider, who walked with one out. Arizona had a chance to tie or take the lead in the third inning. With runners on second and third with one out, White popped out and Adonys Guzman struck out to end the inning.
Smith Bailey kept Arizona in the game in 5.1 innings, allowing one run on four hits, one walk and five strikeouts. TCU went with a bullpen game and the Horned Frogs first three pitchers struck out Arizona 12 times. Gianluca Shinn was the second pitcher for TCU, pitching 2.1 innings with a walk and seven strikeouts.
White earned the Big XII Tournament Most Valuable Player with seven hits in 11 at-bats, seven runs scored, three HRs and double and a triple. Arizona will await its NCAA Tournament fate when the brackets are announced on Monday at 9 AM Mountain Standard Time.