Arizona baseball walks off USC in final Pac-12 title game

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Tommy Splaine lined a run-scoring single in the bottom of the ninth inning and Arizona rallied from a three-run deficit to beat Southern California 4-3 on Saturday night in the Pac-12 baseball tournament championship game.

The championship game was the final Pac-12 game for the conference as we know it, with 10 teams heading to new conferences next fall.

The Wildcats (36-21) lost to Oregon in last year’s title game and clinched the No. 1 seed in this year’s bracket after winning the regular-season title.

SPLAINE IT AIN'T SO!!!!!!!!

📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/8v0LpSSLvV

— Arizona Baseball 🏆 (@ArizonaBaseball) May 26, 2024

Arizona appeared to be headed to another title-game disappointment, managing one baserunner — on an error — through the first six innings against USC starter Caden Aoki.

Mason White broke up Aoki’s no-hit bid with a one-out single in the seventh inning and Blake McDonald followed with a sacrifice fly off Xavier Martinez for Arizona’s first run. Brendan Summerhill hit a run-scoring single in the eighth inning and Garen Caulfield tied it with a sacrifice fly.

McDonald hit a one-out single off Josh Blum in the ninth inning and pinch runner Emilio Corona stole second. After an intentional walk to Andrew Cain, Splain lined a single and Corona slid in just ahead of left fielder Carson Wells’ throw.

The win could earn the Wildcats a chance to host a regional in the NCAA Tournament. The Trojans (31-28) saw their bid to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015 erupt in the desert air.

"This conference is in my heart and soul. And like so many of you out there, it means more to me than I can express.

No other conference can match the history of the Pac-12. And that's what truly makes this, the Conference of Champions."

– Roxy Bernstein pic.twitter.com/0rXrx19rrL

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 26, 2024

USC got off to a great start, taking advantage of two miscues for a 1-0 lead in the third inning.

A fielding error by Splaine at first base put runners on first and third with one out. USC’s Ryan Jackson followed with a deep fly that center fielder Austin Overn misjudged for a run-scoring double. Arizona right fielder Easton Breyfogle saved at least another run with a leaping grab near the warning track.

Bryce Martin-Grudzielanek hit USC’s second straight triple off Cam Walty just out of Breyfogle’s reach in right to score another run in the fourth, and Brayden Dowd made it 3-0 with a run-scoring double.