Arizona Wildcats dominate Naranjeros de Hermosillo in Mexican Baseball Fiesta ahead of first Big 12 season

Chip Hale looking out onto the field along with basketball coach Tommy Lloyd as the Wildcats take on the Naranjeros de Hermosillo. (Photo courtesy of Stephanie van Latum)

Maddox Mihalakis, who hit a go-ahead solo home run earlier in the game scoring to add insurance runs for the Wildcats in the top of the ninth. (Photo courtesy of Stephanie van Latum)

TUCSON – Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium came alive as Tucsonans flocked to the diamond for a vibrant weekend of baseball, food and lively music to celebrate Mexican culture during National Hispanic Heritage Month.

The Mexican Baseball Fiesta, a beloved annual Tucson tradition, hosted professional teams from the Mexican Pacific League along with a special appearance from the Arizona Wildcats baseball team.

The event started in 2011 and has called Kino Stadium home ever since. Thousands of fans come to the field to get a taste of the atmosphere of professional baseball in Mexico. The event has expanded to include events at Sloan Park in Mesa and Camelback Ranch in Glendale in recent years.

The pregame festivities before the start of the second game between the Wildcats and Naranjeros. (Photo by Tom Forbes/Cronkite News)

Tucson is a fitting site for the event as over 44% of the population is Hispanic and helps showcase Mexican baseball culture to newer generations that haven’t had the chance to experience the difference it brings up north.

The Wildcats took a short trip across town to play against the Naranjeros de Hermosillo in the second game on the first night of the four-day event.

Before the game Thursday, Arizona’s men’s basketball coach Tommy Lloyd made an appearance and threw out the first pitch to baseball coach Chip Hale during the pregame festivities. Lloyd remained in the dugout to watch the team play.

The Wildcats, who were the only non-professional team on the itinerary, dominated the defending 2023-24 Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico (Mexican Pacific League) champion Naranjeros.

The Wildcats scored seven runs on nine hits, including a go-ahead solo home run by junior Maddox Mihalakis in the top of the sixth inning and a massive five-run ninth inning to put the Naranjeros away 7-1.

“It was good to come out here and get some good swings,” Mihalakis said. “It’s really good to see really good pitchers over there (on the Hermosillo team), and it’s a good start to the fall and a good start for us to put up seven runs.”

Fourth-year coach Hale prepared the team leading up to the unique game by playing loud music during practices and scrimmages to train the team to play with distractions.

“This is a great venue,” Hale said. “Most baseball players aren’t used to (it) as they’re getting ready to hit, music playing right up to the time (of the pitcher letting go of the ball). It was a cool experience.”

A large presence of Wildcats fans attended to support their hometown team while enjoying the festive atmosphere that is much different from a typical NCAA game at Hi Corbett.

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Mike Feder, a Pima County Sports Hall of Famer and the current president of the Mexican Baseball Fiesta, said it’s nice to have the Wildcats be part of the competition in part because Hale understands and “really cares about the event.” The side effect is the players also get more experience playing against higher-level players in the international friendly.

The event gives the opportunity for local businesses to set up tables along the concourse and offer prizes for fans by spinning wheels and participating in other contests and games. Music stages were erected on both the left and right field line by the foul poles with enough space for fans to dance to the live music.

The fiesta came to an end Sunday with Su Majestad La Brissa headlining the last concert after the final game, concluding another year for Tucsonans to experience a taste of Mexican professional baseball in the states.

The final score from the new video board installed about a month before the Mexican Baseball Fiesta (Photo by Tom Forbes/Cronkite News)

As for the Wildcats, Hale and the team are getting ready for their first season in the Big 12 Conference and have two more fall games against Pima Community College Saturday and Central Arizona College Oct. 18.

“We’re excited,” said Hale about the upcoming Big 12 season. “It’s going to be new experiences and new places to go with great teams and great traditions, so we’re excited to be involved in it.”