Arizona overcame three consecutive losses to begin the 2025 season when the Wildcats won the Big XII Tournament and advanced to the College World Series. The Wildcats will have to do the same in 2026. Arizona lost to Michigan on Sunday to drop the final of their three games in Surprise this weekend.
After losing 10-7 to Stanford in the season opener on Friday, Arizona lost 7-6 to Oregon State on Saturday and 4-1 to Michigan on Sunday. Arizona had seven hits and one walk, but were plagued by seven men left on base.
After Michigan took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, Arizona tied it with a Beau Sylvester single to score Tony Lira in the top of the fourth to tie the game. Michigan answered immediately and added two runs in the sixth inning. Lira led Arizona offensively with two hits and the run scored.
Kurt Barr shut Arizona down in seven innings, allowing one run on six hits and one walk with eight strikeouts. Shane Brinham pitched the final two innings, holding Arizona scoreless with one hit and one strikeout to earn his first save of 2026.
Final: Michigan 4, #24 Arizona 1
— Arizona Baseball (@ArizonaBaseball) February 16, 2026
Arizona pitching
Collin McKinney pitched 4.2 innings, allowing two runs on six hits with two walks and eight strikeouts in the start for Arizona. Evan Brandt allowed two runs in one inning to give Michigan a cushion that held. Patrick Morris pitched 2.1 innings, allowing three hits with three strikeouts to finish the game for Arizona.
Lira and Mathis Meurant had the best weekends for Arizona. Meurant leads Arizona, hitting .375 through the first three games and Lira is hitting .357. Five Wildcats have two runs batted in and Lira leads Arizona with five hits through three games.
Arizona plays the home opener on Tuesday against Nebraska-Omaha. Connecticut is at Arizona for a four-game series from Thursday through Sunday. Arizona plays in the 2026 Las Vegas Classic from February 27 through March 1 against Oregon, Vanderbilt and UC-Irvine.