Arizona rallied from a 3-1 deficit and earned a 6-3 win over TCU to move into a tie for third in the Big XII with Arizona State losing 7-4 at Baylor. Arizona, Arizona State and TCU are all 14-8 in the Big XII. The Wildcats hold tiebreakers over the Horned Frogs and Sun Devils.
Leadoff hitter Aaron Walton hit two home runs and the Arizona bullpen pitched four shutout innings to lead the way in the win. Walton hit his first HR of the game in the third inning to tie the score at one after an RBI grounder gave TCU a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
An RBI triple by Nolan Traeger put TCU back in front 2-1 and an Isaac Cadena sacrifice fly extended the Horned Frogs' lead to 3-1 in the top of the fourth inning. Arizona cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fourth inning when an Easton Breyfogle scored Tommy Splaine to get Arizona within 3-2.
A Mason White double in the bottom of the sixth inning scored Splaine and Gunner Geile to give Arizona the lead for the first time on Friday night at 4-3. Walton hit his second HR of the game, which also scored Splaine for the third time on Friday and put Arizona in front, 6-3, in the bottom of the eighth inning.
2⃣ Homer Day for Aaron Walton 🚀🚀
— Arizona Baseball Analytics (@AZStatCats) May 3, 2025
(@aaronwalton_1)
Exit Velo: 107 MPH
LA: 31°
Distance: 427’pic.twitter.com/9sybtiNbIb
Tony Pluta allowed a leadoff hit in the ninth inning but erased it by inducing a double play before getting Colton Griffin of TCU to ground out to Garen Caulfield at second base to earn his 11th save. The Arizona bullpen with Garrett Hicks and Julian Tonghini preceding Pluta, pitched four innings, allowing three hits and a walk with two strikeouts.
Collin McKinney (0-1, 3.02) starts for Arizona on Saturday against Caedmon Parker (3-1, 3.63) for TCU with the first pitch at 6 PM Mountain Standard Time. Arizona and TCU will finish their three-game series on Sunday at noon.