Entering ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s inaugural Big 12 baseball series vs. Cincinnati, Wildcats coach Chip Hale lauded the Bearcats for their ability to put pressure on the opposition.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ flipped that script.
Taking extra bases at every turn, the UA forced Cincinnati to make plays in the field. More often than not, the Bearcats couldn’t.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ outfielder Brendan Summerhill slides in just ahead of the throw to Cincinnati third baseman Kerrington Cross, advancing from first on a single by Aaron Walton in the second inning of Game 2 of their Big 12 series Saturday, March 15, 2025, at Hi Corbett Field.
As a result, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ swept Cincinnati in dominant fashion. The Wildcats completed the sweep with an 11-1 run-rule victory Sunday at Hi Corbett Field. They outscored the Bearcats — who had won six in a row before they landed in ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ — 33-6 in three games.
“We have a ton of speed on this team,†said outfielder TJ Adams, who scored five runs in the final two games of the series. “The guys that don't have a ton of speed are great baserunners. When you play us it's tough, because we're gonna put pressure on you in more ways than one.â€
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ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ has swept all three of its home series this season. The Wildcats are 12-0 at home. They’ve won the first eight games of a nine-game homestand that concludes Tuesday night with a nonconference game against Kansas.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ shortstop Mason White chews on his shirt as he waits for play to resume in the eighth inning of Game 2 of the Wildcats' Big 12 series against Cincinnati on Saturday, March 15, 2025, at Hi Corbett Field.
“Our weather, our fans, our field,†said second baseman Mason White, who was 3 for 4 with three RBIs Sunday. “We just know how to play well here.â€
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ didn’t finish on a high note at Hi Corbett last year. The Wildcats lost four of their final five games, including a pair of defeats in the NCAA Tournament.
That’s a distant memory now, as is ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s 0-3 start to this season. The Wildcats (15-4, 3-0 Big 12) have won 15 of their past 16 games. Their lone loss in that stretch came against undefeated Tennessee, the defending College World Series champion.
“Every day we’re getting a little better,†Hale said. “We've had blowouts. We've had games we've come back in the last three innings. We've had all different types of games against everybody.
“In the end, that helps us. And I just think they have a really, really good will to win, this group.â€
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ won the opening games of the series with big innings.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s Brendan Summerhill, right, beats the throw from left to Cincinnati third baseman Quinton Coats, advancing from first on a single by Aaron Walton in the fourth inning of Game 2 of their Big 12 series Saturday, March 15, 2025, at Hi Corbett Field.
On Friday, the Wildcats trailed the Bearcats 3-0 before scoring eight runs in the bottom of the sixth. On Saturday, ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ scored four runs in the first and eight in the second. Cincinnati (11-9, 0-3) committed three errors in those two innings as the Wildcats scurried around the bases.
“Chip has really made that a hard point to us, putting pressure on those guys,†White said. “If they want to make plays and play good defense, then good for them. That’s how they’re going to combat that.
“If they’re not, we’re just going to take advantage of it and run with it.â€
Sunday’s offensive attack was more methodical — but featured the same aggressive baserunning.
ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ took a 1-0 lead in the first inning after Brendan Summerhill singled, advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a fly ball and scored on a groundout.
The Wildcats’ three-run rally in the bottom of the third began with Adams legging out a double. Adams scored on Summerhill’s single. On that same play, Summerhill advanced to third on a throwing error.
Another three-run inning, in the fifth, began with infield singles by Summerhill and White. Summerhill scored on a passed ball. Garen Caulfield then delivered the first of two big blows, an RBI triple into the right field corner. White matched him with a three-RBI triple to right in the sixth.
That hit came on the first pitch White saw from Cincinnati reliever Carson Marsh, who had walked the previous three batters on 12 pitches.
“It’s bases loaded. The guy hasn’t thrown a strike. Odds are he’ll probably throw a strike at some point,†White said. “So if he makes a mistake, you hit it. And hopefully it lands for a hit.â€
The Wildcats were far from perfect against the Bearcats. The UA pitching staff issued 17 walks in the three-game series. It had yielded just 10 in the previous three games.
Sunday’s starter, freshman right-hander Smith Bailey, allowed a career-high five walks in five innings. The leadoff hitter reached against him in four of those five frames, twice via walks.

ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥â€™s Garen Caulfield, right, gestures to the dugout after doubling to left in the third inning of Game 2 of the Wildcats' Big 12 series with Cincinnati on Saturday, March 15, 2025, at Hi Corbett Field.
Starting with the third inning Friday, Cincinnati’s leadoff man reached base in 15 of 23 innings. The UA staff was able to limit the damage. That included Bailey, who didn’t allow a run Sunday.
“At some point it'll burn you,†Hale said. “I kept waiting for it today to burn us, because the guys that came up in those situations were their best hitters. The 1-2-3 guys for them are legitimately really good hitters, and they fight hard.
“This is a great thing for Smith. He's pitched very well as a freshman, but there's so much more there.â€
Cincinnati’s lone run came on Tommy O’Connor’s solo home run in the sixth off Eric Orloff — the first homer by a UA opponent at Hi Corbett this season. Julian Tonghini pitched a perfect seventh to end the game.
Inside pitch
– Summerhill went 3 for 3 with four runs scored. He was 9 for 13 in the series with eight runs and five RBIs. He has an eight-game hitting streak and is batting .423.
– Cincinnati’s pitching options were limited because of a flu bug that ran through the staff. The Bearcats’ top two starters, Nathan Taylor and Kellen O’Connor, did not pitch in the series. Sunday’s starter was junior transfer Joel Pineiro, the son of the former MLB pitcher of the same name.
– ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ has allowed three or fewer runs in all eight games on the homestand.
– The Wildcats struck out only one time Sunday. That hadn’t happened since May 3, 2018, vs. UCLA.
– Kansas opened Big 12 play by taking two of three vs. Baylor. The Jayhawks are 17-3. They tied an NCAA Division I record with five consecutive home runs in a 29-1 win at Minnesota on Wednesday.
Contact sports reporter/columnist Michael Lev at mlev@tucson.com. On X (Twitter): @michaeljlev. On Bluesky: @michaeljlev.bsky.social