Arizona Wildcats Sweep Las Vegas Tournament with Wins Over Ranked Vanderbilt and UC Irvine

Freshman Nate Novitske named tournament MVP after hitting .643 over the weekend

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The Arizona Wildcats baseball team turned around their early season struggles with impressive victories over No. 25 Vanderbilt and UC Irvine at the Lou Las Vegas College Baseball Classic. Sophomore pitcher Luc Fladda tossed seven scoreless innings, while freshman Nate Novitske recorded three hits for the third consecutive game to lead Arizona to a dominant 7-1 win over UC Irvine on Sunday.

Why it matters

After starting the season 1-8, the Wildcats needed a strong showing in Las Vegas to get their season back on track. The wins over ranked Vanderbilt and a formidable UC Irvine squad demonstrate that Arizona has the talent to compete with top teams in the country and should give them momentum heading into conference play.

The details

Fladda was dominant on the mound, allowing just 4 hits and striking out 9 over 7 scoreless innings. Novitske, a true freshman, went 9-for-14 at the plate over the 3-game tournament and was named MVP. Arizona had 4 players record 2 or more hits, including Carson McEntire who hit a 2-run home run, and Caleb Danzeisen who tripled and scored 3 runs.

  • Arizona started the season 1-8 before the Las Vegas tournament.
  • The Wildcats played the tournament games from February 28 to March 1, 2026.

The players

Luc Fladda

Arizona's starting pitcher who tossed 7 scoreless innings, allowing just 4 hits and striking out 9.

Nate Novitske

A true freshman outfielder who went 9-for-14 at the plate over the 3-game tournament and was named MVP.

Carson McEntire

Arizona infielder who hit a 2-run home run in the win over UC Irvine.

Caleb Danzeisen

Freshman infielder who tripled and scored 3 runs in the victory.

UC Irvine

A formidable opponent that Arizona defeated 7-1 in the tournament finale.

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What they’re saying

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)

What’s next

Arizona will return home to host Grand Canyon on Tuesday, March 3rd at 6:05pm.

The takeaway

After a slow start to the season, the Wildcats proved they can compete with top teams in the country by sweeping the Las Vegas tournament. The strong performances from young players like Novitske and Danzeisen suggest Arizona has a bright future ahead.