Michael Lev column: Whether stealing home or owning the batter’s box, Arizona baseball’s Nik McClaughry is far more than the best defender for the NCAA Tournament-bound Wildcats.
Michael Lev I’ve been trying to think of the perfect adjective to describe Nik McClaughry, Arizona’s sprightly, spirited senior shortstop, and I think I finally found it:That might not be what you were expecting if you’ve watched McClaughry play for the Wildcats the past three seasons. Maybe steady or professional or heady or gamer.
People are also reading… “That's part of stealing bases. We have guys that are a lot faster than Nik. But not too many that are as fearless as Nik.” McClaughry said the right-hander, OSU’s Trent Sellers, “kept looking down at the ground.” Additionally, Kiko Romero was at the plate. Teams often shift against powerful left-handed hitters, even with runners on base. That pulls the third baseman away from the bag and allows the runner to get a big lead.“Just saying screw it and going” is how McClaughry summed it up. “There's nothing much to really think about.
The theft in Corvallis came in the fifth inning and gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead they held until the bottom of the ninth. The one at Stanford came in the eighth and knotted the score at 8-8. McClaughry’s derring-do times two would’ve gotten more attention if Arizona had won either of those games. It will no doubt be discussed this weekend with the Wildcats back in the spotlight.
O’Tremba had a bigger presence in the box; he was listed at 6 feet, 212 pounds. And he was liable to smack the ball to or over the fence. He had 36 extra-base hits, including 11 home runs, in 2022, his final season as a Wildcat.No pitchers are afraid of Nik McClaughry.McClaughry has posted career highs in just about every offensive category. His batting average of .336 is 71 points higher than last season’s .265.
He also bats second in a stacked lineup, something that can be viewed in two ways: McClaughry earned that spot; and he’s in an ideal position to succeed.
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