Arizona holds off late Arizona State rally clinching weekend series

Arizona survived a ninth inning rally by Arizona State and held on to beat the Sun Devils
Arizona's Garen Caulfield (1) runs to third base against Grand Canyon during the first inning at GCU Ballpark in Phoenix, on April 1, 2025.
Arizona's Garen Caulfield (1) runs to third base against Grand Canyon during the first inning at GCU Ballpark in Phoenix, on April 1, 2025. | Michael Chow/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arizona led 5-0 heading to the bottom of the seventh inning and held on for a 5-3 win to clinch their weekend series at Arizona State on Saturday. The Wildcats beat the Sun Devils for the third consecutive time this season. Arizona started with a run in the first and the game remained 1-0 through four innings.

Garen Caulfield led off the game with a home run and the score remained 1-0 through four innings. Arizona stretched the lead to 2-0 in the fifth inning on a HR by Andrew Cain. A Mason White triple in the fifth scored Gunner Geile and Aaron Walton to extend the Arizona lead to 4-0.

Adonys Guzman singled home White to give Arizona what seemed like a comfortable 5-0 lead. Arizona State got on the board in the seventh on an RBI fielder's choice by Brandon Compton got ASU on the board and made it 5-1. Compton singled home Nu'u Contrades to make it 5-2 Arizona.

An Isaiah Jackson single scored Compton to cut the deficit to 5-3 with two outs. Matt King went to second on the Jackson single. Tony Pluta relieved Owen Kramkowski following the Jackson single. Kramakowski pitched a season high 8.2 innings, allowing three runs on nine hits with one walk and five strikeouts.

Pluta struck out Josiah Cromwick to get the final out for his fifth save. Eight Arizona batters had one hit each and four different Wildcats drove in a run in the win. Jack Martinez pitched seven innings, allowing five earned runs on six hits with a walk and 12 strikeouts for Arizona State and fell to 3-2 with the loss.

Arizona goes for the four-game season sweep and three-game series sweep on Sunday. First pitch on Sunday is at 5 PM Mountain Standard with the game being shown on ESPN2. Arizona is now 8-3 in the Big XII, tied with Kansas and a half game behind Kansas State for first in the Big XII.