Offense excels, defense falters as Arizona thumps Hermosillo in Mexican Baseball Fiesta

His fielders ... not so much.

The Wildcats won a wild, sloppy game over Naranjeros de Hermosillo by a football-like score of 17-11 at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Arizona, in its first real game under new hitting coach Jack Meggs, had 12 hits and drew 10 walks. The Wildcats also committed five errors.

“We just didn't play very good defense,” Hale said. “We swung the bats well. Our plans are good. We're putting the ball in play with two strikes. Those are good things. We just couldn't catch the ball tonight.”

All of the errors were committed by infielders or pitchers. Most were errant throws to first base, some of which first baseman Tony Lira could have handled.

“Tony had a hard time, and we know he's an elite first baseman,” Hale said of Lira, who made just three errors and had a .993 fielding percentage last season. “So I'm not worried about that. If it's somebody else, I'd be more worried.

“We just have to take care of the baseball, and that's on me.”

Hale coaches the infielders. He believes the issues Thursday were more mental than physical and can be corrected over time.

Arizona is just getting started with its fall program, which features four more exhibition games over the next month.

The first of those is a rematch against Hermosillo on Friday, Oct. 9, at Hi Corbett Field. It’s being billed as the inaugural game of the “Sonoran Series” and will feature many of the same off-field elements as the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, which continues through Sunday. Former UA catcher Cesar Salazar is expected to suit up for Hermosillo.

Walk this way

It was only one game, but Arizona drawing 10 walks was noteworthy.

The Wildcats reached that total just once last season. They drew the fewest walks and had the lowest on-base percentage in the Big 12.

Hale hired Meggs to try to change the overall approach. So far, so good.

“There was nothing from the offense that was disappointing at all,” Hale said.

Four of the walks came with the bases loaded and drove in runs.

Arizona also had two bases-loaded, base-clearing doubles in the first two innings, one by senior outfielder Carson McEntire and the other by freshman infielder Jory Crocker. McEntire and Crocker were among five Wildcats who had two hits apiece.

Crocker started at second base and excelled in his UA debut, going 2 for 2 with a walk. Both hits came during an eight-run second inning that put Arizona ahead 12-0.

“He's been very good,” Hale said of Crocker. “He’s swung the bat well. He's a shortstop, so he's never really played second. So we're trying to teach him that.

“He's a super athletic kid. I think he's got a high ceiling. So we want to give him as many at-bats as we can right now.”

Freshman injured

Before the game, Crocker was working on ball drills and flips with fellow freshman middle infielder Lyndon Lee while the rest of the team was in the dugout.

The night didn’t end well for Lee.

After hitting a hard single off the pitcher in the bottom of the eighth inning, Lee advanced to second base on an errant pickoff throw. But after rounding second, Lee fell and injured his left leg.

Hale and a trainer helped Lee off the field. He couldn’t put any weight on his left leg. After the game, he left the field in a wheelchair.

“It doesn't look good right now,” Hale said. “They did all the testing (on the field), and they're not sure at this point. He'll get an image (MRI) of it and see what it looks like.”

Lee likely wouldn’t have started this season, but he’s among several freshmen Hale is high on in the class of 2026.

Cash on the money

Arizona’s best all-around player Thursday was sophomore Cash Brennan, who started at third base and later played shortstop.

Brennan made two standout plays on choppers near the third-base bag. He also made a running, over-the-shoulder catch on a popup hit to shallow left-center.

Brennan batted leadoff and went 2 for 4 with a double and a walk.

“He was on base a bunch,” Hale said. “He played great at third. Played great at short.”

Transfer Ariel Antigua started at shortstop and made a diving play on a grounder to his right in the fifth inning. It ended up being an infield single.

Inside pitch

– Veteran Beau Sylvester started at catcher. The starting outfielders were McEntire, Easton Breyfogle and Caleb Danzeisen. Nate Novitske was the designated hitter.

– Right-hander Trever Baumler, a transfer from TCU, started on the mound and pitched one scoreless inning. He allowed one walk and one single.

– Arizona used eight pitchers in all. Only two appeared in games for the Wildcats last season: left-hander Maclain Roberts and right-hander Benton Hickman. Hickman pitched a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to finish the game.

– Right-handers Smith Bailey, Jack Lafflam and Tony Pluta were unavailable because of injuries. Bailey, Arizona’s projected No. 1 starter, “is close to getting on the mound,” Hale said. He could be ready to pitch by the Nov. 1 fall finale vs. Vanderbilt. Lafflam is slightly behind Smith. Pluta isn’t expected back until sometime during the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last February.

– Right-hander Garrett Hicks isn’t expected to pitch in any exhibition games this fall, but Hale hoped to have clarity on Hicks’ status by the weekend. Hicks is among several UA athletes pursuing an additional year of eligibility via the new five-for-five rule. Hale appeared in court Monday to testify on Hicks’ behalf. A final ruling on the case — which also features UA football players Max Harris and Ismail Mahdi — was expected Friday.

– Senior outfielder Andrew Cain did not dress after undergoing an MRI on his right (throwing) elbow Thursday. Hale said Cain could have hit but was held out after the test caused him to arrive late to the ballpark.