Jun 13, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; Arizona Wildcats head coach Chip Hale on the field during the game against the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

Arizona Baseball is Going to Vegas

Originally posted on Arizona Wildcats on SI
By Troy Hutchison | Last updated Sep 15, 2025 6:00 AM ET

Arizona baseball was able to shock teams during the 2025 season by making it to the College World Series led by a high-powered offense and head coach Chip Hale guiding the ship. It was the first trip to the CWS for Hale as a coach after being the leader of the program the past three seasons.

This marked the first time since the 2021 season when then-head coach Jay Johnson took the team to Omaha before leaving for LSU after the season.

Last year, Arizona opened everything up in Texas from globe life field. Things got off to a tough start for the Wildcats as they went 0-3 with losses to Ole Miss, Clemson and Louisville.

Ironically enough, Arizona's season came to an end with an 8-3 loss to Louisville, which beat UA in the Shriners Children's College Showdown at the start of the year.

Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

When looking at the 2026 season, Arizona has already announced that it will be opening things up in an in-state tournament. The Wildcats will be in Surprise, Ariz., where they will participate in the tournament that will feature Michigan, Oregon State, Stanford and UA.

The games will go from Feb. 13 to the 15 and give Arizona the chance to face two former Pac-12 foes in the Beavers and Cardinal, which are two powerhouse that UA is very familiar with.

Now, Arizona has been announced as one of the four teams that will be playing in the Las Vegas College Baseball Classic.

The field includes Arizona, Oregon, Vanderbilt and UC Irvine with games being played Feb. 27-March 1, where the Wildcats will have a chance to face off against a former Pac-12 foe, an SEC powerhouse and a mid-major power.

Arizona is 29-27-1 all-time against Oregon and the last time the two programs faced off against each other was during the 2024 season when the Ducks took two of three at home in a Pac-12 Conference series.

Going All In, For The Good of the Team

Oregon, Arizona, Vanderbilt, and UC Irvine are looking to hit the jackpot at Las Vegas Ballpark! ⚾️ Visit the link below or in our bio for more info on tickets, game schedule, hotel discounts, and more!

: https://t.co/nYhc3HHSYO pic.twitter.com/Vv1KgFFSW7
— Live Like Lou Las Vegas College Baseball Classic⚾️ (@LLL_LasVegasCBC) September 10, 2025

Arizona and Hale have been working to get the roster ready for the 2026 season with addition through the transfer portal and have landed 12 prep commitments for the 2026 recruiting class and will be looking to add more to the class.

Arizona will need to fill the offensive holes left behind from White, Sumerhill, Walton and Guzman, which were the heartbeat of the Wildcats offense that led the team into the postseason and the CWS.

This article first appeared on Arizona Wildcats on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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