Arizona head coach Jay Johnson (red shirt) prepares his players for the 2016 season. (University of Arizona athletics)

Arizona, Johnson Hit Ground Running

HOUSTON — It’s not every day you see a baseball team win by imposing a tempo on its opponent, but that’s what Arizona did in an 8-1 season-opening victory at Rice. What will show up in the box score as patient and timely hitting felt in the moment like a soccer team running a high press.

All told it was quite the debut for new Arizona head coach Jay Johnson, who takes over a program that’s foundered since winning the national title in 2012, and lost two top-50 draft picks from a team that didn’t even manage a regional appearance last year.