One could label Arizona a golf school, right? The Wildcats have produced PGA and LPGA Tour champions Annika Sorenstam, Jim Furyk, Lorena Ochoa, Rory Sabbatini, Leta Lindley, Ted Purdy, Don Pooley, Dan Pohl, Nate Lashley and U.S. Amateur champion Ricky Barnes.
If not golf, what about distance running? Arizona鈥檚 NCAA distance running champions include Lawi Lalang, Amy Skieresz, Martin Keino, Aaron Ramirez and Abdi Abdirahman, among others.
And if not golf or running, maybe Arizona is a softball school. The Wildcats have a chain of All-Americans from Susie Parra to Jennie Finch to Alicia Hollowell to Jenny Dalton and beyond.
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Everyone knows Arizona was once known as Point Guard U., with Steve Kerr, Damon Stoudamire, Jason Terry and Mike Bibby, but that was, what, 25 years ago? I鈥檝e got a new nomination: Arizona is a starting pitcher鈥檚 school.
Arizona鈥檚 Owen Kramkowski pitches during the first inning in Game 1 of the Men鈥檚 College World Series at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb., on Friday.
When UA sophomore Owen Kramkowski from Sahuarita, who has won a team-high nine games this season, pitched five quality innings in Friday鈥檚 College World Series opener against Coastal Carolina, he became the 11th Arizona starting pitcher since 1970 to open the CWS with a sound performance. What school can match that? Here鈥檚 the evidence that Arizona is a starting pitcher鈥檚 school with a list of Kramkowski鈥檚 CWS Opening Game predecessors:
1970: Leon Hooten, a transfer from Long Beach City College, was an All-WAC pitcher who pitched eight strong innings in the 鈥70 CWS opener against Florida State, finishing with 12 victories. He eventually reached the major-leagues and pitched four years for the 大象APPToros.
1976: Steve Powers was the 鈥76 World Series MVP, beating No. 1 Arizona State in an elimination game, finishing with 11 victories. In the 鈥76 CWS opener, Powers struck out eight Sun Devils in eight innings.
1979: Craig Lefferts, who went on to pitch 12 MLB seasons, opened the 鈥79 CWS with a six-hit complete game to beat Florida State. He moved to 大象APPfrom St. Petersburg, Florida, and made the UA team as a walk-on two years earlier.
1980: Jeff Morris, a senior from then-local powerhouse Catalina High School, opened the 鈥80 CWS with a loss to St. John鈥檚, led by future MLB All-Star pitcher Frank Viola. Morris gave up just two earned runs. He went on not only to help Arizona win the 1980 national title, but was also an assistant coach on the UA鈥檚 1986 national championship team, and an MLB coach/scout for more than a quarter-century.
1985: Joe Magrane, a junior from Kentucky, lost a 2-1 CWS opener to No. 1 Texas, pitching a four-hitter with eight strikeouts. Magrane was a first-round draft pick that month and went on to play eight big-league seasons.
1986: Gil Heredia, a junior from Nogales, was 15-2 entering the 鈥86 opener, a victory over Maine. Heredia went on to play 10 seasons in the big leagues.
2004: Koley Kolberg, an All-Pac-10 first team selection, a transfer from Texas, pitched 6虏鈦劼 innings in the 鈥04 CWS opener against Georgia, and won nine games for the Wildcats.
2012: Kurt Heyer, a two-time All-Pac-10 pitcher from SoCal, went 13-2 on Arizona鈥檚 2012 national championship team, pitching 7虏鈦劼 innings in the CWS opener, a victory over Florida State.
2016: Nathan Bannister, a junior from Peoria鈥檚 Liberty High School, was an All-Pac-12 pitcher who went 12-2 in 鈥16 and beat Miami in the CWS opener, 5-1 with 11 strikeouts.
2021: Chase Silseth, a junior transfer from Tennessee, was an All-Pac-12 choice who went 8-1 in 18 starts, and reached the big leagues later that summer. He did not have a decision in the CWS opener, pitching seven innings against Vanderbilt, a game that went 13 innings.
And now you can add Walden Grove High School鈥檚 Kramkowski to the list. How鈥檚 that for an impressive list of Wildcat starters in Game 1 of the College World Series? Starting Pitcher U, right?
At 92, former Arizona baseball player finally made it to the College World Series
