(Photo by Patrick Mulligan/Getty Images)
The Dallas Baptist University Patriots knocked off the No. 13 ranked program in the nation, the University of Arizona Wildcats, 7-0 in the Tucson Regional on Saturday afternoon.
Arizona ended the season with an overall record of 36-22 and a conference record of 20-10. As the regional host, Arizona was ranked No. 1.
The Wildcats won the final PAC-12 conference tournament, beating USC 4-3 in Scottsdale, Ariz., on May 25, earning them an automatic bid into the field of 64.
DBU (45-14) is ranked as the No. 2 seed in the Tucson Regional.
The Patriots got on the board at the top of the first inning, with third baseman Miguel Santos rocking a triple to right field, scoring first baseman Chayton Krauss for the game’s first run.
In the top of the third inning, DBU began the run party with Krauss plowing an RBI double to deep center field, scoring second baseman Michael Dattalo to extend the lead to 2-0.
A few batters later, designated hitter Tom Poole crushed a two-run home run over the right field fence, scoring Krauss to make it 4-0.
Poole continued his hot bat at the top of the fifth inning and crushed his second home run of the game with a two-run dinger over the left field wall. He was his 12th for the season and scored Krauss to dagger the lead to 6-0.
Dattalo cranked the seventh run of the game for the Patriots with an RBI single to left field, scoring Luke Heefner to make it 7-0.
Patriots relief pitcher Zach Todd came into the game in the bottom of the ninth inning. He got Wildcats third baseman Richie Morales to fly out to right fielder Alex Pandergast for the final out of the game, with Dallas Baptist University shutting out Arizona 7-0.
Patriots right-handed starting pitcher Jaron DeBerry threw six innings and allowed three hits, four walks, and six strikeouts. DeBerry improved his record to 7-1 for the 2024 season. DeBerry chucked 119 pitches with 75 strikes on Saturday afternoon.
Dallas Baptist head coach Dan Heefner’s pitching staff allowed five hits and five walks and struck out eight batters during their elimination game win on Saturday.
Wildcats right-handed starting pitcher Cam Walty threw four innings and allowed nine hits, six earned runs, one walk, and two strikeouts. Walty dropped his record to 8-2 for the season. He dialed 72 pitches with 49 strikes during the second loss of the NCAA tournament.
Arizona head coach Chip Hale’s pitching staff allowed 12 hits, seven earned runs, one walk, and seven strikeouts.
Arizona left ten men on base during their second loss of the 2024 NCAA tournament on Saturday.
Arizona will join the Big 12 Conference to start the 2025 spring season after being in the PAC-12 since 1978.
Dallas Baptist University will play its second elimination game of the 2024 tournament against the losers, Grand Canyon University and West Virginia University.
