Cody Ramer and Zach Gibbons set the tone for a victorious Wildcats squad on Monday.
Believe it, folks. Senior leadership is very, very real.
The Arizona Wildcats lead Coastal Carolina in the College World Series final 1-0, and their senior trio at the top of the order is a major reason why.
A stat for you: As a team, Arizona went 6-for-31 at the plate on Monday night. But the 1-2-3 hitters, Cody Ramer, Zach Gibbons and Ryan Aguilar?
They went 5-for-10 with three RBIs. The rest of the Wildcats went 1-for-21 with no runs driven in.
WILDCATS POURING IT ON!
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAACWS) June 28, 2016
Ryan Aguilar with his second RBI single of the game and it's 3-0 Arizona in the 7th! #CWS pic.twitter.com/aovxlKnA6Q
“It's awesome having Cody and Gibbons up right before me,” Aguilar said after the game. “Right before every game you're going to have an opportunity to score runs. And I just have to thank Coach for putting me in that order and trusting me a lot so I could get that opportunity. And today I pulled through for him.”
These three thrived on defense, too. Gibbons robbed a near-Michael Paez homer in the eighth inning, while Ramer submitted a web-gem of his own early on:
OH MY!!!
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAACWS) June 28, 2016
At the wall... In the 8th... Zach Gibbons with the #SCTop10 grab to keep Arizona's 3-0 lead! pic.twitter.com/8j3f2DhGAe
GLOVE OPTIONAL!
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAACWS) June 28, 2016
Cody Ramer's HUGE day continues for Arizona... this time with a glove-free out! #CWS pic.twitter.com/bkigWh11oG
Louis Boyd, Ramer and Aguilar also turned a nifty double play with the Chanticleers rallying in the ninth inning.
We’ve seen this movie before, albeit in a different sport and with a different set of Wildcats. Remember in April, when seniors Daniel Ochefu and Ryan Arcidiacono played integral roles in cutting down the nets in Houston?
Clearly, these Arizona seniors took notes. And they’re acing the Omaha test thus far.