Arizona catcher Adonys Guzman attempts to tag a runner sliding into home plate during the Tucson Regional of the NCAA Baseball Tournament on June 1 at Hi Corbett Field. Arizona ultimately dropped the contest 7-0 against Dallas Baptist.

The University of Arizona baseball team (7-4) knocked off several nationally ranked teams at the Astros Foundation College Classic in Houston, held from Friday, Feb. 28, through Sunday, March 2. The Wildcats took down top-ranked Texas A&M University (6-4) and No. 18 Mississippi State University (7-4) before falling to No. 3 Tennessee (11-0) in the finale.

Game 1: Arizona vs. Texas A&M – Friday, Feb. 28 at 6:35 p.m.

Arizona opened the tournament by staging a dramatic comeback to beat No. 1 Texas A&M 3-2 Friday evening at Daikin Park, marking the Wildcats’ first win over a top-ranked team since April 20, 2010.

Arizona pitchers Collin McKinney (4.0 IP) and Casey Hintz (5.0 IP) teamed up to limit the Aggies to two runs on five hits while racking up 13 strikeouts. Hintz earned his second win of the year with his dominant relief performance.

The Aggies opened the scoring in the fifth when Wyatt Henseler crushed a two-run home run to left field, giving Texas A&M a 2-0 lead.

Aaron Walton responded with a solo home run in the sixth, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Arizona completed the comeback in the ninth, beginning with a double by Maddox Mihalakis and a single from Tommy Splaine. Mihalakis scored on Easton Breyfogle’s infield hit, and a fielder’s choice moved Splaine to third. Brendan Summerhill’s infield single plated the go-ahead run.

With a 3-2 lead, Hintz closed the door in the ninth, striking out Jace LaViolette—one of the nation’s top prospects—with the tying run on base to seal the win.

Game 2: Arizona vs. Mississippi State – Saturday, March 1 at 2:35 p.m.

Arizona earned a 6-5 win over No. 18 Mississippi State in a back-and-forth showdown Saturday afternoon.

Starting pitcher Owen Kramkowski (1-1) secured his first collegiate win, tossing six innings while giving up five hits and four runs with eight strikeouts.

Shortstop Mason White sparked the offense, driving in four of Arizona’s six runs. White’s two-run homer in the first gave Arizona a quick 2-0 lead, and his two-run single in the second made it 5-1.

Mississippi State clawed back with runs in the fifth and sixth, including an RBI double by Ace Reese that made it 6-4.

In the seventh, Ross Highfill scored on Gehrig Frei’s single, cutting Arizona’s lead to 6-5.

The game’s biggest moment came in the ninth when Mississippi State threatened with two runners on and no outs. Reliever Tony Pluta entered and locked down his first save, preserving the narrow victory.

Despite striking out 18 Wildcats, Bulldogs pitcher Karson Ligon (1-1) took the loss after Arizona found ways to manufacture crucial runs.

Game 3: Arizona vs. Tennessee – Sunday, March 2 at 9:05 a.m.

Arizona finished the tournament with a hard-fought 5-1 loss to undefeated No. 3 Tennessee in Sunday’s championship game.

Arizona’s lone run came in the second inning via a two-out rally. Adonys Guzman doubled to center and scored when Breyfogle ripped a triple to left-center.

Freshman Smith Bailey delivered a strong third career start, limiting Tennessee’s explosive lineup to two runs on six hits across 5.1 innings, striking out six.

Arizona’s bullpen also held its own, with Pluta tossing a perfect inning. The Wildcats limited Tennessee to five runs—their second-lowest total this season—after the Volunteers entered the game averaging over 12 runs per contest.

Series overview:

Arizona’s pitching stood out against three of the best offenses in college baseball. The Wildcats’ staff held No. 1 Texas A&M, No. 18 Mississippi State, and No. 3 Tennessee to a combined 12 runs over three games—a remarkable achievement given the caliber of hitters they faced.

From McKinney and Hintz silencing the Aggies to Kramkowski’s breakout start against Mississippi State and Bailey’s poised outing versus Tennessee, Arizona’s arms proved to be far deeper than preseason projections suggested. The bullpen, led by Hintz and Pluta, came through in several high-pressure moments to help secure key victories.

Looking ahead:

Arizona returns to Tucson for a four-game home series against Pepperdine University, running Thursday, March 6, through Sunday, March 8. The Wildcats will look to bounce back after their tough loss to Tennessee.