OSU uses big 3rd inning to blow past Arizona in series opener; UA's Emilio Corona hurt (2024)

The margin between winning and losing can be so miniscule in baseball.

No one knows that better than the 2024 Arizona Wildcats.

Entering Thursday night’s series opener against Oregon State, Arizona had won six games via walk-off. The Wildcats had played 16 one-run games, winning seven.

The battle between the Pac-12’s first- and second-place teams started out that way. But a mistake turned a tie game into a blowout for the Beavers.

No. 6 OSU scored five runs in the third inning— all with two outs — en route to a 9-2 victory over No. 14 Arizona in front of an announced crowd of 4,600 at Hi Corbett Field.

The Wildcats (32-19, 19-9 Pac-12) came into the series needing one win to clinch the Pac-12 regular-season title. They still do entering Game 2 Friday night. The Beavers (40-12, 18-9) will steal the crown with a sweep.

The score was knotted, 0-0, in the top of the third. With two outs and a runner on second, UA starter Jackson Kent had a 1-2 count on conference RBI leader Gavin Turley. Kent threw a fastball off the outside corner — but it wasn’t far enough out of the strike zone. Turley smoked the pitch for a two-run homer to left.

The next five OSU hitters reached. Three more runs scored. Arizona never threatened against ex-Wildcat Aiden May, who improved to 6-0. The Beavers scored eight of their nine runs with two outs.

UA coach Chip Hale is hopeful his team will respond Friday the way it did last weekend. Arizona dropped the opener at Utah before winning the next two.

“We talked about it — two weeks in a row where the Friday-night guy just beat us,” Hale said. “He just pitched better. He did a great job. We were really never in it.

“I don’t think we played well in any facet of the game. We gotta play better tomorrow.

“We always try to play one game at a time. We did a good job of that last weekend. Tomorrow’s a new day. I think we’ll play better.”

Kent (3-3) exited after the third inning. It was easily his shortest outing of the season. He has allowed four-plus earned runs in each of his past three starts after yielding three or fewer in each of his first 11.

Hale suggested earlier in the week that Kent might be feeling the effects of a long season. He struggled the second time through OSU’s lineup.

“The first inning he looked dynamite, 95 (mph) and his breaking ball was snapping,” Hale said. “He just ran into a buzz saw there. They did a great job. He hasn’t had many of those starts, obviously, all year. He’s been great. We’ll just move on.”

Arizona was on the wrong end of another close call in the bottom of the second that could have longer-lasting consequences.

With a runner on first and no one out, Emilio Corona got hit in the right hand with a 2-2 pitch. But first base umpire Joe Burleson ruled that Corona’s check swing was a full swing — and therefore a strikeout. So instead of having runners on first and second with no outs, the Wildcats had a runner on first with one out. They wouldn’t bring him home.

Corona, Arizona’s everyday right fielder, had trouble gripping the ball and left the game in the fourth inning.

Corona’s hand “got so swollen so quick,” Hale said. “It’s not good.”

Corona was set to have X-rays after the game.

With the Wildcats already missing TJ Adams (shoulder), and Easton Breyfogle (hamstring) not quite ready, shortstop Mason White moved to center field. Center fielder Brendan Summerhill moved to right. Third baseman Richie Morales shifted to short. And Xavier Esquer, who had pinch-hit for Corona, entered at third.

If Corona is out and Breyfogle is unable to play Friday, Casey Hintz could start in the outfield. Hintz, who came to Arizona as a two-way player, pitched two innings of relief Thursday. Hintz has made 24 appearances out of the bullpen. He has two plate appearances this season.

Arizona made it 5-1 in the bottom of the third on Morales’ RBI groundout, but that was as close as the Wildcats would get.

"We didn't put many barrels on the ball," Hale said. "They did."

Inside pitch

• After striking out in his first at-bat, OSU star Travis Bazzana reach based four straight times. He finished 2 for 4 with two doubles and two walks. He was one of six Beavers to record two hits.

•UA pitchers allowed seven walks, tying the staff’s season high. The Wildcats entered Thursday with the lowest walks-per-nine rate in the nation (2.41).

• Brandon Rogers, who entered the game with six hits in 44 at-bats (.136), went 3 for 3, including a pair of bunt singles. “That's a part of his game he really hasn't used a lot,” Hale said. “It was great to see.”

•RHP Trevor Long threw a scoreless ninth inning. It was only his second appearance since March 30.

•Oregon defeated Washington 9-2 Thursday. The Ducks (35-16, 17-11) would finish ahead of the Wildcats if they end up with the same conference record. Arizona can finish no lower than third.

•Friday’s probable starters are RHP Jacob Kmatz (5-2, 3.65 ERA) for OSU and RHP Clark Candiotti (6-2, 3.01) for Arizona.