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Instead, the Wildcats rallied to notch their first Big 12 series victory of 2026.

In the second game of a doubleheader prompted by incoming inclement weather, Arizona scored two runs in the eighth inning and one in the ninth to defeat TCU 3-2 at Lupton Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.

The win gave the Wildcats a 2-1 edge in the series and upped their record to 13-22, 5-10 in the Big 12. The Horned Frogs fell to 21-14, 8-7.

After being shut out 5-0 in the first game of the doubleheader Saturday, Arizona put up seven consecutive zeroes in the nightcap.

The eighth-inning rally began when freshman Cash Brennan drew a leadoff walk. After TJ Adams struck out, the Wildcats registered three straight singles by Mathis Meurant, Nate Novitske and Tony Lira. Novitske’s drove in Brennan; Lira’s plated Meurant.

The top of the ninth also began with a leadoff walk courtesy of Beau Sylvester, who worked the base on balls after falling into an 0-2 hole. Sylvester advanced to second on Jackson Forbes’ sacrifice bunt and to third on Brennan’s groundout to second. Sylvester scored on pinch-hitter Caleb Danzeisen’s infield single.

Garrett Hicks pitched a perfect ninth to record his fifth save of the season and second in as many nights. Collin McKinney earned the win by pitching a 1-2-3 eighth.

Starter Luc Fladda kept the Wildcats within striking distance, yielding two runs on five hits across seven innings. Fladda struck out five and did not walk a batter. He has surrendered just four bases on balls in 47 innings.

Arizona managed just four hits in the first game of the doubleheader. Starter Smith Bailey allowed five runs on five hits in six innings. All five runs scored on home runs — a solo homer in the second and two-run shots in the fourth and fifth.

In the series opener Friday night, the Wildcats received an excellent start from Owen Kramkowski and hung on for a 4-3 victory.

Kramkowski allowed three runs on seven hits in 6â…” innings. He struck out nine Horned Frogs without surrendering a walk.

Arizona led 3-1 entering the bottom of the seventh. Meurant — who went 4 for 10 in the series and has a four-game hitting streak — drove in a pair of runs. Maddox Mihalakis had the other RBI.

TCU plated a pair of runs off Kramkowski with two outs in the seventh, tying the score. Arizona reclaimed the lead in the ninth. Danzeisen led off with a walk. Adams pinch-ran for him and advanced to second on Lira’s single. Both runners moved up a base on Andrew Cain’s sacrifice bunt. Adams scored on Mihalakis’ sacrifice fly.

Hicks had an adventurous bottom of the ninth, allowing a double and a walk after striking out the first two batters he faced. With runners on second and third, Hicks fanned Colton Griffin to end the game.

Arizona is set to face Arizona State in a nonconference game Monday night in Phoenix before returning to Tucson for a six-game homestand vs. Kansas State and BYU.

Inside pitch

– Lira went 6 for 13 in the series, raising his batting average to a team-best .361.

– L±ð´Ú³Ù-³ó²¹²Ô»å±ð°ù MaclainÌý¸é´Ç²ú±ð°ù³Ù²õ threw 1â…“ scoreless innings to earn the win Friday. He hasn’t allowed a run in four consecutive outings.

– Since making a mechanical adjustment after an ineffective outing on March 22, Hicks hasn’t allowed a run in 8⅓ innings across five appearances.

– Freshman righty Benton Hickman threw two shutout innings in the first game of the doubleheader. He has a six-inning scoreless streak that has lowered his ERA from 6.00 to 3.60.

– McKinney hasn’t allowed a run in his past three outings, a span of 5⅓ innings. His ERA has dropped from 7.27 to 5.56.