For the second game in a row, Arizona baseball had to play from behind early and couldn’t reenact some of their late-game comeback heroics.

Arizona had no answers for DBU right-handed pitcher Jaron DeBerry, who through six innings recorded six strikeouts and only allowed three hits, helping the Patriots shutout the Wildcats 7-0 on Saturday afternoon in the elimination bracket of the Tucson Regional at Hi Corbett Field, ending their 2024 season.

Despite the disappointing loss in the opening round of the NCAA Baseball Tournament, second basemen Garen Caulfield defines the overall season as a "major success."

"We were doubted all year and to make it as far as we did, we can walk away from Hi Corbett Field saying that this year is successful. We would have liked it to end different, our goal is obviously to win a national championship here every year, but we can't hang our heads," Caulfield said.

Arizona right-handed pitcher Cam Walty, who made the start for the Wildcats, had been sharp for them coming into the game, but struggled, allowing nine hits and six runs in four innings before being replaced by righty Kyler Heyne.

The biggest swing of Walty’s performance came from DBU’s Tom Poole, who had four RBI’s off of two home runs to give the Patriots a convincing 6-0 advantage.

Despite five quality innings from UA's relievers Heyne, Tony Pluta, and Anthony 'Tonko' Susac, only allowing two hits and one run the rest of the game following the 4th inning, UA wasn't able to chip into the deficit as its bat wasn’t able to wake up in time, only recording two hits the rest of the way through; it recorded only five hits the entirety of the game.

DBU overall was dominant offensively with 12 hits and seven RBI's.

The Wildcats (36-23) will now enter the offseason and prepare for the 2025 season in hopes of clearing the hurdles that the last two regional rounds have been presented them.

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