Kansas State scored one run in the eighth and another in the ninth to earn a 2-1 win over Arizona on Friday night at Hi-Corbett Field. Arizona wasted a dominant outing from Owen Kramkowski and left eight players on base in losing to the other Big XII Wildcats.
In a pitchers' duel, Arizona took a 1-0 lead in the sixth inning on a Beau Sylvester triple that drove home Andrew Cain from first. Arizona had chances earlier in the game to break through before the Sylvester triple.
The Wildcats left two runners on base in the first inning, one each in the second and third and another pair in the fourth. Nate Novitske and Caleb Danzeisen each walked to leadoff the game for Arizona. Tony Lira, Cain and Maddox Mihalakis were retired in order as Arizona left Novitske and Danzeisen on in the first inning.
Bear Madliak singled to leadoff the second and A.J. Evasco was hit to put the first two batters for Kansas State on, but they were left stranded. Novitske singled to leadoff the third inning but was caught stealing on a strikeout by Danzeisen.
Final: Kansas State 2, Arizona 1
— Arizona Baseball (@ArizonaBaseball) April 18, 2026
Mihalakis began the fourth inning with a walk and Sylvester was then hit by a pitch. Despite the leadoff hitter reaching base for the third time in four innings and the first two for the second time in the game, Arizona came up empty again.
Kansas State had two base runners in the fifth and stranded a pair for the first time in the game. Owen Kramkowski was mostly cruising for Arizona on the mound. Arizona finally got on the board with the Sylvester sixth inning triple with one out. The Wildcats were unable to extend the lead with Sylvester stranded.
Kansas State tied the game when, after two singles, Shintaro Inoue scored from third on a passed ball. Garrett Hicks then replaced Kramkowski. Kramkowski pitched 7.1 innings, allowing the one run, unearned, on six hits with a walk and six strikeouts. Hicks retired his first three batters to get out of the inning.
Arizona had another chance to score in the bottom of the eighth inning after a leadoff triple by Cain. After Mihalakis struck out, Cain was caught attempting to steal home with Sylvester batting. Arizona stranded eight baserunners through the first seven innings.
A Cadyn Karl sacrifice fly in the ninth inning scored Evasco with the eventual game-winning run. Miles Smith retired the final four Arizona batters to get the win for Kansas State. Hicks took the loss in relief for Arizona. Arizona and Kansas State will play on Saturday at 6 PM Mountain Standard Time.
Add us as a preferred source on Google