Top-ranked Longhorns, No. 10 UA to play three
While Texas brings a No. 1 national ranking, an undefeated record and national runner-up status to Sancet Stadium this weekend, its presence also marks a reunion for Arizona junior left fielder Trevor Crowe.
Three of Crowe's teammates from this summer's Team USA gold medal team at the World University Baseball Championship head to Tucson for a three-game series with the No. 10 Wildcats.
The teams square off tonight at 7, tomorrow at 4 p.m. and Sunday at noon.
From that Team USA squad, Longhorns center fielder Drew Stubbs (.409, four HR, 15 RBIs), catcher Taylor Teagarden (.388, two HR, 12 RBIs) and closer J. Brent Cox (three saves, 4.05 ERA), along with player of the year candidate Seth Johnston (.375, two HR, 16 RBIs), lead Texas (15-0) into action against Arizona (11-3).
"We shared something special," Crowe said. "We wore 'USA' across our chests for a few months and brought home a gold medal, and there's nothing that will replace that.
"But at the same time, when you're playing people that you respect, there's always a little extra added."
The Longhorns' status as one of college baseball's perennially elite teams provides a test for an Arizona squad that burst back onto the national radar with a College World Series berth last season.
Now the Wildcats can pin the first loss on the Longhorns and validate a top ten ranking.
"It's kind of exciting (for them) to come in here undefeated, (as the) No. 1 team in the nation," said junior catcher Nick Hundley, who is hitting .415 with four home runs and 10 RBIs. "It's going to be a terrific challenge for us. We're going to have to play the game real well to win."
The Wildcats hope to send junior ace John Meloan (2-0, 3.48) to the hill Friday against Texas ace Randy Boone (2-0, 1.59).
Meloan, a Texas native, did not attend Saturday's and Sunday's games against Riverside because of strep throat. His start could be pushed back to later in the weekend, depending on his health.
If Meloan makes his start, junior Kevin Guyette (2-1, 3.04) goes against Kyle McCulloch (3-0, 2.60) Saturday, and senior Sean Rierson (2-0, 4.72) gets the call Sunday against Adrian Alaniz (0-0, 1.59 ERA).
Guyette pitched his best game of the year last time out, striking out 15 batters in a complete game Saturday, but came up short in a 3-1 loss to UC-Riverside.
Rierson made his first start coming off Tommy John surgery in Sunday's 5-4 win and gets the nod over freshman David Coulon.
Texas has outscored opponents 123-42, while averaging 8.2 runs per game and compiling a sparkling team ERA of 2.47.
That could be trouble for an Arizona offense that struggled in the Riverside series, failing to score in 21 of 26 innings while averaging just under five runs per game, unimpressive by Arizona's early-season standards.
Arizona still leads the Pacific 10 Conference in nearly every offensive statistical category.
"We're very capable of hitting the long ball, but that doesn't mean we should try to do it every swing. I think we've fallen into a little trap lately of trying to do so," said junior first baseman Jordan Brown, who leads the team with six home runs and 25 RBIs. "Just putting the ball in play, (as) we've got good team speed, that's the key to winning."
As Arizona's first significant test, a competitive early-season series with Texas will prove critical down the road.
"Any time you want to make a postseason run you're going to have to have games during the season that feels like a postseason atmosphere," Crowe said. "I think these games coming up, those are great opportunities for us."