The Arizona Wildcats' postseason hopes took a major hit Saturday night in a gut-wrenching 13-inning, 7-5 loss to Houston at Hi Corbett Field. It was the team's seventh straight conference defeat and eighth in their last nine games, leaving them two games out of the final Big 12 Tournament spot with just four regular-season games remaining.

In a matchup of the league's bottom two teams, the game was a showcase of missed opportunities. The two teams combined for 35 hits—23 by the Cougars—but left a staggering 31 runners on base, including 20 by Houston. They were a combined 6-for-33 with runners in scoring position, a stat that tells the story of the night.

Arizona jumped ahead early, scoring four runs in the fifth inning to take a 4-1 lead. Cash Brennan delivered an RBI single, Mathis Meurant executed a safety squeeze bunt, and Carson McEntire crushed a two-run home run to energize the home crowd. But the lead wouldn't hold.

Houston tied it in the seventh on a three-run homer by Cade Climie, setting the stage for a tense extra-inning battle. The Wildcats had multiple chances to win it, stranding the winning run on third base in the eighth, 10th, 11th, and 12th innings. Three of those opportunities came with less than two outs, making the missed chances all the more painful.

In the 12th, Senior Night honoree Maddox Mihalakis ripped an RBI triple to score Beau Sylvester and give Arizona a 5-4 lead. But the Wildcats couldn't add on, as Caleb Danzeisen struck out looking and Brennan grounded out. Houston answered with two runs in the 13th off Collin McKinney, who was originally scheduled to start Sunday's game but ended up throwing the final three innings.

Arizona went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 13th, sealing the loss. The Wildcats will play their final home game Sunday at 11 a.m. PT, needing a near-miracle to keep their Big 12 Tournament hopes alive.