Salazar's Hit in 11Th Caps Rally, Puts UA In
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 2016 • SECTION B Editor: Ryan Finley / 520-573-4312 / [email protected] NCAA SUPER REGIONALS: ARIZONA 6, MISSISSIPPI STATE 5, 11 INNINGS ALL HAIL CESAR, CATS JIM LYTLE / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Arizona coach Jay Johnson, center, celebrates with Cody Ramer, left, and Cesar Salazar after the Wildcats defeated Mississippi State 6-5 in 11 innings in Saturday’s NCAA Super Regional. Salazar’s hit in 11th caps rally, puts UA in CWS By Michael Lev Freshman catcher Cesar MORE ON and exceeded expectations. tournament. That was also ARIZONA DAILY STAR Salazar’s 11th-inning, two- UP NEXT “I try to pride myself on the last time they qualified STARKVILLE, Miss. – out single drove in Kyle • What: College World Series TUCSON.COM knowing what to say. Right for the postseason. Hugs upon hugs upon hugs. Lewis as Arizona rallied • Where: Omaha, Nebraska See photos of now, I’m speechless,” John- They weren’t supposed Screams of joy. Piggyback from a late four-run deficit • When: Games start Sat- UA’s 6-5, 11-inning win over son said. “I am so proud of to make it this year. Pac-12 rides. Selfies. Chants of to shock Mississippi State urday at TD Ameritrade Mississippi State on Saturday at these guys. … I thought I coaches picked Arizona to “Omaha!” 6-5 and sweep their best- Park. Times and pairings tucson.com/gallery knew what toughness was, finish ninth in the confer- That was the scene that of-three Super Regional. are TBD. competitiveness, heart. ence. played out in left field late Jay Johnson was coach- UA baseball notes / B4 Follow the Star’s coverage from And then I met them. But as fall turned into Saturday night at Dudy ing third base when Sala- Other regional games / B4 Omaha at tucson.com Greatest moment of my winter, and winter into Noble Field. The under- zar’s hit bounded through life.” spring, the Wildcats’ belief dog Arizona Wildcats had the right side of the infield. pen? Arizona (44-21) returns in themselves grew. just punched their ticket to The first-year UA coach had a look of disbelief on his It did. Afterward, John- to the College World Series “I try to not put any type the College World Series as turned to one of his assis- face. son wasn’t sure how to de- for the first time since 2012, only they could. tants, Marc Wanaka, who Did that really just hap- scribe a team that has defied when the Wildcats won the See CATS, B4 SOME LOSSES STILL HAUNT HIM ARIZONA BASKETBALL Young’s legendary runs put Rooks’ death shakes Olson and UA, who know tragedy UA track program on the map By Bruce Pascoe of New York and, back in 2002, ARIZONA DAILY STAR Bison Dele (known as Brian Wil- OCT. 16, 1969: GEORGE YOUNG Besides the Final Fours, the liams during his UA career) died BECOMES FIRST UA ATHLETE TO 1997 title and that slew of NBA in French Polynesia. Both of WIN AN OLYMPIC MEDAL draft picks, one thing often talk- those suspected murders remain ed about around Arizona’s bas- unsolved. ecause he didn’t have a ketball program is family. That’s three key players, on track scholarship at Arizo- That’s why Lute Ol- top of the 1999 hate- B na, George Young worked son’s heart is hurting so crime murder of for- as much as he ran. He unloaded Greg Hansen bad right now. mer UA assistant coach freight cars at EDITOR’S NOTE At a time when sev- Ricky Byrdsong, all the railroad Young a scholarship because his • Star columnist Greg Hansen is en of his former players gone in the prime of station and had best time in the mile at Silver City counting down the best days in have reached the pin- their lives. Dele was just a part-time shift High School was 4 minutes 40 Tucson sports history. nacle of the sport, rep- 33, Wright was 35 and at the dog track. seconds. Today: No. 84 resenting the Cavaliers Rooks was 46. He took tickets “Nothing sensational,” Cooper or Warriors in the NBA Sean Rooks Three players, three at Bear Down said. NOTEBOOK ON BREAK finals, the former UA protégés, three family Gym and helped But by the time he was 34, Greg Hansen’s Sunday Notebook coach lost his second key player members. All gone. with field main- Young became the oldest person in returns next week. Can’t wait until in the past seven months when “It’s been a tragic thing George Young tenance at Ari- history to break the four-minute then? View the Star’s digital archive Sean Rooks died suddenly of ap- with all three of them,” Ol- zona Stadium. mile (3:59.6). By then, he had won of Hansen’s notebooks and read past parent heart issues on Tuesday. son said. “There wasn’t a dad In the summer of 1955, UA track columns at tucson.com/hansen. Last November, Michael coach Carl Cooper didn’t o!er See HANSEN, B7 Wright was found dead outside See TRAGEDY, B6 Test drive any one of our3,000vehicles in inventoryand youcan enter to wina car valuedat $10,000 or the cash. DriveawayGiveaway.com No purchase necessary.Limit one entry per test drive per household. Must be 18 years or older with Valid U.S. Driver’slicense.Used Vehicle Prize retail value max $10,000.Valid through 6/30/2016. For complete list of contest rules visit driveawaygiveaway.com or any Jim Click &Holmes Tuttle Dealership..