Utah Walks Off Arizona in Extra Innings

Saturday, March 14

Salt Lake City, Utah

2 p.m.

University of Utah

Arizona

3/14/2026 6:26 PM | Baseball

Box Score

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah baseball team thwarted a pesky Arizona Wildcats' comeback attempt, claiming a 7-6 victory Saturday afternoon inside Charlie Monfort Field at America First Ballpark.

Utah got off to a quick start offensively, scoring four early runs in the first inning after Jake Long got the Utes on the board with a single to center field that plated Luke Jacobs from second base.

Ahead 1-0, first baseman Cameron Gurney kept Utah's rally going with a double to left center that brought Long in from second—extending the Utes lead to 2-0. One at bat later, designated hitter Cal Miller stepped up to the plate and, on a 0-1 count, laced a 405-foot home run (the first of his college career) to right center to put Utah ahead 4-0 heading into the second inning.

In the top of the second, Arizona responded with a short rally of its own—plating its first run of the contest after Brennan Cash brought in Carson McEntire from second with a two-out, single up the middle. On the next at-bat, the Wildcats cashed in two additional runs, bringing the score to 4-3 on a Nate Novitske single that scored two more runs.

Despite giving up a handful of runs in the second, junior right-handed pitcher Payton Riske would preserve Utah's lead and get out of the inning with a three-pitch swinging strikeout on the next Arizona batter.

After a quiet third and fourth inning, the Utes extended their edge over the Wildcats in the fifth when junior Jet Gilliam made it home on a sacrifice fly from Jacobs, giving Utah a 5-3 lead.

Following a four-inning scoreless stretch, Arizona got back on the board in the seventh when Maddox Mihalakis delivered an RBI single to right field to allow the Wildcats to be within one run.

In the top of the ninth, Utah's Seth Graham-Pippin would get within one out of ending the game, forcing a flyout and groundout, but came short as Arizona plated the game-tying run on a Roman Meyers' single that scored TJ Adams from second. With the game tied at 5-5 after nine, Utah and the Wildcats headed into extra innings for the second straight afternoon.

After giving up a run in the top of the 10th, Utah tied the game at 6-6 on a Gurney single to right field that brought in Long from second base. A wild pitch during the next batting sequence then advanced Gurney to third base as sophomore second baseman Zakye Hawkins stepped up to the plate with a chance to win the game.

Facing a 2-2 count, Hawkins belted a grounder down the left field line that was bobbled by the Arizona third baseman, giving Gurney just enough time to beat the throw to home and walk off the game, 7-6.

Gurney finished as the team's hit leader, going 3-of-5 with two RBIs. Miller matched Gurney's two RBI mark to lead the Utes thanks to his two-run homer in the first inning. Gilliam led Utah with two stolen bases, bringing his season total to four successful swipes on four steal attempts.

NEXT UP
Utah will conclude the weekend series against Arizona on Sunday afternoon inside America First Ballpark, first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. MT.

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