Arizona edges TCU 2-1 to capture Big12 Tournament title in Arlington

 Arizona Wildcats Baseball

from the desk of Wildcats fan -- Dan Price

A real nailbiter for the Wildcats as they edged TCU 2-1 to capture the Big-12 Conference Tournament today in Arlington, Texas. Nothing came easy the entire game for Arizona (39-18) as starter Smith Bailey pitched brilliantly into the sixth, and Tony Pluta shut down the Horned Frogs in the ninth and 10th innings.

The Arizona bats went silent for eight innings as the TCU pitching staff fanned 12 Wildcats and held a 1-0 lead into the ninth inning.

Andrew Cain then ripped his sixth home run of the season to right field to finally tie the game at 1-1. Pluta came on in the bottom of the inning and kept the Horned Frogs from scoring, and the winner would have to be decided in extra innings.

In the top of the 10th inning, with one out, Mason White stepped into the batter's box and was hit by the first pitch from the Horned Frogs lefty Braeden Sloan. Adoyns Guzman then singled to put runners at the corners. Maddox Mihalakis followed with an RBI single to score White, and for the first time in the game, Arizona had taken the lead at 2-1.

Pluta returned to the mound in the bottom of the 10th and finished the job.

ARIZONA WINS!