Arizona baseball sweeps Fresno State in final nonconference series

Wildcats score season-high 14 runs in 8-inning win to complete 3-game sweep

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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The Arizona Wildcats baseball team completed a 3-game sweep of the Fresno State Bulldogs, winning the final game 14-4 in 8 innings on Sunday. The Wildcats scored a season-high 14 runs and had 16 hits, led by strong performances from younger players like Nate Novitske, Tony Lira, and Jackson Forbes, as well as bounce-back games from veteran players Maddox Mihalakis and Andrew Cain. The win capped off a weekend where Arizona outscored Fresno State 29-9, scoring 3 or more runs in 6 of the 9 innings played.

Why it matters

After starting the season 1-8 and struggling offensively, the Wildcats' offensive outburst in the sweep of Fresno State is an encouraging sign as they prepare to open Big 12 Conference play next weekend. The contributions from both young and veteran players show the team is starting to come together and find its stride.

The details

In the final game, Arizona scored a season-high 14 runs on 16 hits, including home runs from Nate Novitske and Andrew Cain. Redshirt freshman Tony Lira went 4-for-4 with 3 runs scored, while senior Maddox Mihalakis had 2 hits and 3 RBIs after entering the weekend batting just .080. Left-hander Luc Fladda allowed 3 earned runs over 6 innings to pick up the win. The Wildcats outscored Fresno State 29-9 over the 3-game series.

  • The series sweep was completed on Sunday, March 8, 2026.
  • Arizona has won 5 of its last 6 games after starting the season 1-8.

The players

Chip Hale

The head coach of the Arizona Wildcats baseball team.

Nate Novitske

An Arizona player who had his fifth 3-hit game in the last 7 contests, including his first career home run.

Tony Lira

A redshirt freshman Arizona player who went 4-for-4 with 3 runs scored in the final game.

Maddox Mihalakis

A senior Arizona player who had 2 hits and 3 RBIs in the final game, more than doubling his batting average for the season.

Andrew Cain

An Arizona player who hit his first home run of the season and drove in 3 runs in the final game.

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What they’re saying

“We're taking steps forward.”

— Chip Hale, Head Coach (azdesertswarm.com)

“I just came out here and wanted to kind of take the same approach. Like a lot of the years, kind of been trusting the process and not trying to switch up too much, and then kind of let my mental side take the best of me and kind of just stick with it and do the same thing every day.”

— Maddox Mihalakis, Senior Player (azdesertswarm.com)

“To win in this league you're gonna have to have your veterans produce. And for Maddox, for Cain to get healthy and have a day like he did today, those are super important. We can give all the kids experience, and people say you got great young players, but it's really tough to win in the Big 12 without your guys who have a track record.”

— Chip Hale, Head Coach (azdesertswarm.com)

What’s next

Arizona will open Big 12 Conference play next weekend with a series at Utah, before facing in-state rival Arizona State in a midweek game on Tuesday.

The takeaway

After a slow start to the season, the Arizona Wildcats baseball team appears to be finding its rhythm, with contributions from both young and veteran players. The offensive outburst in the sweep of Fresno State is an encouraging sign as the team prepares to enter conference play.