Closer Tony Pluta set the Arizona single-season record with his 14th save at North Carolina in the Super Regional clinching game on Sunday. Pluta passed Jason Stoffel, who had 13 saves during the 2008 season. Pluta has earned two of his saves in the NCAA Tournament.
The first save in the 2025 NCAA Tournament for Pluta came in a 3-2 win over Cal Poly in the first game of the Eugene Regional. Pluta earned a save in the Big XII Tournament quarterfinal versus BYU and the win over TCU as Arizona won the postseason conference title.
Stoffel holds the Arizona career record with 29 saves. Mark Melancon is second all-time in Arizona program history with 18 saves. If Arizona is successful at the College World Series, Pluta will have an excellent chance to at least tie Melancon for second place.
Pluta is tied for seventh nationally in saves. Carson Ozmer of Alabama leads the nation with 17 saves. Pluta is the only one among the top 50 nationally in saves who plays for a team that will play in the College World Series. Pluta leads the Big XII in saves in 2025 by four over Gabe Craig of Baylor.
𝐍𝐎𝐁𝐎𝐃𝐘 has done it better 😮💨
— Arizona Baseball (@ArizonaBaseball) June 9, 2025
Tony Pluta is the Arizona single-season saves king! 👑 pic.twitter.com/l0H95zCxlH
In 2024, Pluta was part of a closer by committee. Four Arizona pitchers combined for eight saves during the 2024 season. Led by Pluta, Arizona is now 38-0 when leading after eight innings. Pluta will be critical in Omaha, with Charles Schwab Field having bigger dimensions than most college baseball stadiums.
Pluta is a finalist for the 2025 National College Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year, the Big XII Scholar Athlete of the Year and second-team All-Big XII. Now Pluta and his teammates hope to reach the ultimate goal, for Arizona to win the fifth national championship in program history and first since 2012.