The hero of Arizona’s Super Regional-clinching victory was discussing the winning hit, and what he said had Wildcats coach Jay Johnson beaming.
Freshman catcher Cesar Salazar wasn’t thinking about his previous bases-loaded at-bat, which ended with him grounding out to short. He wasn’t eyeing Mississippi State’s defensive alignment, which had the second baseman in short right field against the left-handed-hitting batter.
Salazar’s sole focus, he said, was hitting the ball hard somewhere. Period.
Salazar was living entirely “in the moment,” which is something Johnson has been preaching from the moment he arrived in Tucson.
“We like to think we have a mental advantage on everybody we play,” said Johnson, whose team faces Miami on Day 1 of the College World Series on Saturday in Omaha, Nebraska.