No. 16 Arizona beats No. 12 Stanford with insane play at plate to preserve 3-2 win
You might not see a better play all night.
Up 3-2 in the top of the ninth, the 16th-ranked Arizona Wildcats found themselves in a pinch. Stanford, the 12th-ranked team in the country, had just one away with runners on second and third. Stanford’s first two batters in the inning reached on singles and then a wild pitch advanced both into scoring position. Stanford had momentum.
Then this happened.
ABSOLUTELY ELECTRIC!! HI CORBETT GOES CRAZY!! #BearDown pic.twitter.com/kxwHyETt0S
— Arizona Baseball (@ArizonaBaseball) March 20, 2022
That’s sophomore outfielder Mac Bingham with an absolute laser from right-center field to catcher Daniel Susac at the plate to beat the would-be tying run from Stanford and end the game.
Stanford actually out-hit the Wildcats 9-6 in the game, but three errors and some clutch hitting from UA helped erase a 2-0 hole going into the bottom of the seventh. Arizona got a run back in the seventh as second baseman Tyler Casagrande reached on a throwing error by the Cardinal, allowing Bingham to score.
Then, in the eighth, Arizona plated two to take the lead. First it was outfielder Tanner O’Tremba singling to right field and bringing in a run, then it was first baseman Tommy Splaine knocking a single and advancing to second on a throwing error that allowed Susac to score.
It’s a big win for Arizona to get the extended weekend series rolling. The Wildcats have opened the year 14-4 and 3-1 in conference play. They’re also 8-3 at Hi Corbett Field this season.
Arizona and Stanford (9-6, 1-3 Pac-12) are back on the diamond Sunday at 11 a.m. PT for Game 2 in the series.