SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – The Golden Bears of the University of California knocked off the Arizona Wildcats to advance to the semifinals of the Pac-12 Baseball Tournament, where they will face Southern California at 5:30 EDT Friday.
Cal got on the board in the top of the third when Peyton Schulze launched a three-run homer to left center, scoring Jarren Advincula and Caleb Lomavita to put the Golden Bears up 3-0.
The Golden Bears poured on four more in the top of the fifth, two of the runs coming on a double by Rodney Green Jr. to right field, and then two more when the next batter, Schulze, launched a two-run homer to left center, sending Green home and giving California a 7-1 lead.
Arizona got a run in the bottom of the fourth and bottom of the sixth, and added three more in the eighth on a three-run shot by Maddox Milihakis that scored Garen Caulfield and Mason White.
Cal starter L Short went 5.1 innings, allowing two runs on four hits, walking two and striking out eight to earn the win. Christian Becerra came on with one out in the ninth and a runner on first, earning a two-out save with just three pitches by getting Richie Morales to line out to second baseman Carson Crawford, who threw to first to double off Brendan Summerhill and end the game.
Arizona advanced to the semifinals despite the loss by virtue of being the highest seed with a 1-1 record, edging out second-seeded Oregon State and seventh-seeded Utah.
On Friday, sixth-seeded Cal will play fourth-seeded Southern California at 5:30 EDT in the first semifinal, while Arizona will face eighth-seeded Stanford in the nightcap at 10 p.m. EDT.
