Coming into the Baylor series at Hi Corbett Field, the Arizona Wildcats hadn’t lost two games in a row since the Shriners Children’s College Showdown in February.
That all changed on Saturday when Baylor (19-7, 4-4 Big 12) took the second game and the series with a 6-3 win against an Arizona team that is struggling without leadoff hitter and arguably their most talented player Brendan Summerhill (out with a hand fracture).
Saturday’s loss marked the first time all season Arizona (19-7, 5-3 Big 12) dropped a series.
“We got to find a combination that’s both going to make the plays on defense and give us the best chance offensively,” Arizona coach Chip Hale said. “It’s not coming right now and teams go through these ruts. We’re not in a good place. The only way to get out of it is just to play our hearts out and hopefully tomorrow (Sunday) we do better.”
The Bears struck first in the top of the first inning when Enzo Apodaca hit a triple to right field, followed by an RBI ground out to third by Wesley Jordan that scored Apodaca.
Baylor added two more runs in the second off of a Tyriq Kemp single to right and a sacrifice bunt by Cortlan Castle.
Arizona’s defense, usually a solid part of the Wildcats’ game, had three errors. Two of those errors were in the top of the third inning allowing three Baylor runs. The Bears’ lead was extended to 6-0.
Two pitchers took the mound for Arizona.
Starter Owen Kramkowski, a Walden Grove graduate, pitched five innings, allowing four hits and six runs. He had seven strikeouts.
Reliever Raul Garayzar entered the game in the sixth and threw four scoreless innings, allowing three hits while striking out one.
“It’s not the way we play the game unfortunately; we gotta play good defense,” Hale said. “Kramkowski was throwing the ball well. We just gave them too many runs.”
Among the errors — Mason White missed a throw to Maddox Mihalakis at third and Mihalakis misplayed a grounder that went under his glove and rolled into left field.
The Wildcats were able to get two runs back in the bottom of the third when Adonys Guzman hit a bases loaded single to right that plated Aaron Walton and Dom Rodriguez.
Arizona’s final run came in the fifth off of a throwing error by Baylor pitcher Grayson Murry that scored Walton.
“We started the game off with a couple of defensive mishaps,” Guzman said. “We were able to bounce back and kind of settle that down and really just ease back into the game, try to make something happen.
“We made some key plays, but it just didn’t go our way at the end of it. But we played well from inning three on.”
Guzman had two RBIs and threw out two base runners.
The series finale is Sunday at 12 p.m. in Hi Corbett Field.
Game Extra:
During the game, the Wildcats received a commitment from Weatherford (Texas) Junior College right-handed pitcher Evan Brandt.
Blessed to get to keep playing this game. 100% committed @ArizonaBaseball pic.twitter.com/IzSzUZcpYP
— Evan Brandt (@evanbrandtt) March 30, 2025
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