Utah Walks Off Arizona in Rubber Game Thriller

Sunday, March 15

Salt Lake City, Utah

1 p.m.

University of Utah

11-6, 2-1

Arizona

7-12, 1-2

Arizona

Utah

Photo by: Sophia Kuder/Utah Athletics

3/15/2026 4:55 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Utes rally from two-run deficit in ninth inning

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah baseball team erased two late deficits and walked off Arizona 8-7 in a rubber game on Sunday afternoon inside Charlie Monfort Field at America First Ballpark.

Utah trailed 4-0 after two innings of play and cut the deficit in half after six innings. Though the Utes pulled in front in the eighth inning by a 5-4 score, Arizona hung a three-spot in the top of the ninth to take a 7-5 lead--setting the stage for late heroics that culminated with a walk-off single for Jet Gilliam.

Gilliam put on a standout performance to lead Utah at the plate, finishing 3-for-4 with a home run and a career-high five RBIs. Jake Long added two hits for the Utes, while Daniel Arambula drove in two runs and Gilliam and Matt Flaharty scored twice apiece.

Long extended his team-leading hitting streak to 12 straight games and Cameron Gurney doubled to extend his run to 10 straight games with a hit. Gurney is one hit away from 100 in his career.

Arizona jumped out to an early lead in the first inning, plating two runs on back-to-back RBI doubles from Andrew Cain and Maddox Mihalakis to take a 2-0 advantage. The Wildcats added to their lead in the second inning when Tony Lira hit a two-run home run to deep center field, extending Arizona's edge to 4-0.

Utah began to chip away in the sixth inning when Gilliam got the Utes going. With Flaharty at first after a single, Gilliam hit a 398-foot shot to left field to cut the deficit in half and bring the Utes within two at 4-2.

In the seventh, head coach Gary Henderson brought on Kaden Soder from the bullpen for Soder's first outing as a Utah Ute. He entered the game with one out and struck out the next two batters each on three pitches, earning a roar from the crowd as Soder and the Utes returned to the dugout.

Momentum continued swinging to the Utes during a big eighth inning. Soder retired the Wildcats in order in the top of the inning, then a five-hit home half put Utah ahead by a 5-4. Jack Kleveno led off with a single to center field, then Flaharty laced a single to right that brought pinch runner Ashton Graff-Rowe to third base. Gilliam followed with a high chopper near the mound for a single as Graff-Rowe scored and Flaharty moved into scoring position.

Moments later, Arambula lined a single through the left side that scored both Flaharty and Gilliam, giving Utah its first lead of the game at 5-4.

Arizona responded in the top of the ninth, regaining the advantage with a late rally. Beau Sylvester delivered an RBI double before Jackson Forbes followed with a two-RBI single to center field, pushing the Wildcats back in front 7-5. David Galindo entered from the bullpen with two outs and induced a fly ball to get Utah back to the bats for a shot at another rally.

Utah loaded the bases with nobody out after Nevan Noonan and Luke Jacobs each walked, followed by Derek Smith being hit by the first pitch he faced.

Arizona made a call to the bullpen for a lefty-lefty matchup with Flaharty, who grounded out. It was a tough play for the Wildcats' first baseman but nevertheless allowed Noonan to score and cut the deficit to 7-6.

With the lineup turned over to the top, Gilliam stepped into the box and lined a 2-2 pitch to left field for a two-run single that scored Jacobs and Zakye Hawkins to seal the walk-off victory for the Utes.

Galindo (1-0) picked up his first victory as a Utah Ute.

Next Up
Utah will stay at home to host Washington State on Tuesday, March 17 at America First Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. MT.

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