Arizona becomes first regional host to be eliminated from NCAA Tournament
When the Tucson Regional was announced, many expected Arizona and Dallas Baptist to be playing in the 1-0 game on Saturday. Instead, they both lost on the first day of competition and found themselves in an elimination game. Somebody was going to have to go home with some disappointment.
Arizona was ultimately the loser, dropping the game 7-0. The Wildcats are the first regional host to be sent home from the NCAA Tournament. East Carolina was the only other program to lose on Friday but they avoided elimination thanks to a wild, ninth-inning win against Wake Forest.
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To make matters worse, Saturday afternoon was just the second time Arizona had been shut out all season. A game against in-state rival Arizona State in March resulted in a 5-0 loss. From there, the Wildcats had been able to put at least one on the board until Dallas Baptist came along.
Head coach Chip Hale was hoping for a deeper run, looking to make a Super Regional for the first time since 2021. There was even a potential matchup against the program’s former head coach, Jay Johnson (now at LSU), if both teams advanced far enough.
Grand Canyon and West Virginia are set to face off later on Saturday, hoping to have a real advantage in the Tucson Regional. The loser will get to face Dallas Baptist and will need a win to stay alive. One of those three are set to advance to a Super Regional and keep their national championship hopes alive.
Arizona bows out of NCAA Tournament, begins new era in Big 12
Arizona earned the right to be a regional host after finishing the season with a 36-22 overall record. Going 20-10 in the final season of the Pac-12 was good enough for the regular season title and the tournament championship came back to Tucson too.
Next season will be a new one for Arizona, though. A Big 12 logo will be on their jerseys as they enter one of the most competitive conferences in all of college baseball. Five teams from the Big 12 made the NCAA Tournament this year. However, two of them will be playing in the SEC next season with Texas and Oklahoma.
Making the NCAA Tournament for four consecutive seasons has been a good accomplishment. Everyone involved will be hoping to make the next step and advance out of a regional next year.