A week ago, Owen Kramkowski came within one out of throwing a complete game at ASU. He somehow had an even better outing next time around.
Kramkowski threw seven shutout innings and Arizona’s offense broke through in the later frames for a 5-1 win over Oklahoma State on Saturday night at Hi Corbett Field, evening the weekend series.
Maddox Mihalakis’ 3-run home run in the bottom of the 6th inning broke a scoreless tie as Arizona (24-10, 9-5 Big 12) bounced back following Friday’s 4-2 loss in 10 innings. The Wildcats also remained a game back of first place in the conference standings.
Arizona had eight hits, six coming over the final three innings as OSU spot starter Mario Pesca allowed just four baserunners through the first five. The UA had only three hits in the opener.
“It’s like a fighter, you just got to keep punching, keep punching and something (happens),” UA coach Chip Hale said. “Our offense is not clicking, and I was proud of the guys for sticking with it.”
The 6th-inning rally started with a 1-out hustle double from Mason White. Adonys Guzman walked with two out ahead of Mihalakis, who hit a moon shot onto the roof of the Terry Francona Hitting Center.
“I knew it off the bat, it felt good,” Mihalakis said. “We’re obviously going through a tough stretch, myself as well.”
Kramkowksi gave up four hits and six baserunners over seven, striking out five and improving to 5-3. His final pitch resulted in an inning-ending double play, the second of the game turned by Arizona and sixth in his last five starts.
“When Owen pitches they know it’s gonna be strikes and they’re ready to go,” Hale said.
Since giving up seven runs in two-thirds of an inning in his first start in February, Kramkowski has an ERA of 3.55 over his last eight appearances. He has two of the Wildcats’ three quality starts this season, but unlike the performance at ASU when almost everything resulted in a ground ball this time Oklahoma State (16-16, 5-7) fouled off 28 of his 66 strikes.
“You put a good pitch out there, you trust it, get a foul ball you live with it,” he said.
Arizona added runs in the 7th and 8th, and Tony Pluta picked up his seventh save by getting the final four outs. He came on with runners on the corners and two down in the 8th and struck out Colin Brueggeman to preserve a 4-1 lead then needed only seven pitches to close it out.
Freshman righty Smith Bailey (1-1, 3.19) will start for Arizona in Sunday’s 12 p.m. PT finale.