K-State SportsSports

Eight-Run Second Powers #23 K-State to 10th Straight Win

KMAN Staff

MANHATTAN, Kan. (K-State Athletics) – An eight-run second inning, 18 hits, and three home runs led K-State to its 10th straight victory, as the #23 Wildcats powered past Texas, 14-6, in the series opener Friday at Tointon Family Stadium.

“A really good night for our program,” said head coach Pete Hughes. “I thought we played clean baseball in every phase of it. Offensively, we set the tone and recognized that when the big inning presents itself – and sometimes it shows up in the second inning – you have to have a mature team to recognize when that momentum is shifting and to take advantage of it, and that’s exactly what we did.”

Off to their best conference start since 1990, the Wildcats (18-6, 6-1 Big 12) trailed 3-0 heading into the bottom of the second before exploding with eight runs, highlighted by a bases-clearing double by true freshman Nick English.

“That was the storyline of the game, taking advantage of a big inning, taking the momentum into your dugout, and keeping it there for nine innings. We are unable to do that if [Wintroub] doesn’t get settled in and throws some shutdown innings. We put up zeros in four innings with him and that was everything to allow us to build a lead.”

After surrendering three earned runs, Josh Wintroub retired 10 straight batters to pick up the victory as the graduate transfer from Littleton, Colo., allowed six hits with five strikeouts in his 5 1/3 innings of work (2-1).

Each player in the Wildcat’s lineup contributed a hit in the win, with six turning multi-hit efforts. Junior first baseman David Bishop led the way offensively, going 4-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored, and was shy a triple of hitting for the cycle. Chuck Ingram went 3-for-6 while Kaelen Culpepper and English each drove in three runs.

K-State’s 10-game winning streak marks the program’s sixth in its 124-year history, and first since 2014.

Thursday’s victory also marked the largest margin of victory vs. Texas in the series’ history, as the Cats compiled their first 14-run game against the Longhorns since 1997. K-State has scored 10-plus runs in just five contests in the series.

Texas (15-11, 4-3 Big 12) was led by Jalin Flores, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Lebarron Johnson Jr. (1-2) received the loss, allowing six earned runs on five hits in his one inning start.

THE RUNDOWN
Trailing 3-0, the Wildcats sent 13 batters to the plate to take the command of the game in the second.

Culpepper walked on five pitches to lead off the inning before advancing to third on a double from English until the Cats jumped on the board with a single through the right side by Kyan Lodice.

With runners on first and third, Lodice stole second to draw the throw down and score English. Danniel Rivera smoked a game-tying double into left center before a walk and single loaded the bases, forcing Texas to make its first call the pen.

K-State took advantage of a wild pitch to grab the go-ahead run until a walk extended the Cats lead, 5-3. With all bags occupied, English launched a two-out, bases clearing double into right center to cap the inning.

Bishop, Culpepper and Lodice each homered to push the lead into double figures, 13-3.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

  • K-State scored 14 runs on 18 hits, committed no errors, and left nine runners on base.
  • Texas scored six runs on 10 hits with one error committed and stranded seven on base.
  • K-State scored eight runs in the second to take control of the game.
  • English hit a bases-clearing double to score the game-winning run.
  • Eight of Wildcats’ 18 hits were for extra bases.
  • Wintroub (2-1) was awarded the victory, allowed three earned runs with five strikeouts.
  • All nine Wildcats registered a hit, while six had multi-hit days.
  • Bishop went 4-for-5 with an RBI and scored three runs.
  • Seven players drove in a run led by three apiece from Culpepper and English.
  • K-State hit .467 (7-for-15) with runners in scoring position while Texas was 2-for-10.
  • The Wildcats went 4-for-12 (.333) with two outs, including four two-out RBI.

NOTES

  • K-State’s 14 runs marked the most runs scored against the Longhorns since 1997.
  • K-State is off to its best conference start at 6-1 since 1990.
  • The current 10-game winning streak is just the sixth in program history, and marks the longest in the Hughes era.
  • The 10-game winning streak is the longest since 2014.
  • The Cats have scored just 10+ runs against Texas in five contests in the series’ history.
  • K-State improved to 12-2 at home – the best home record in the Big 12 this season.
  • Thursday’s win was the ninth come-from-behind victory of the season.
  • K-State’s three home runs marked the 10th multi-home run game of the season.
  • Day extended his hit streak out the 17.
  • The win marked the largest margin of victory in program history v. Texas.
  • K-State is now 15-3 in its last 18 games, and 14-3 in March.
  • Texas leads the all-time series 63-24-1, including a record of 24-12 in Manhattan.

ON DECK
K-State and Texas meet for round two Saturday at Tointon Family Stadium set for 6 p.m. The entire Conference series can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app, while radio coverage is available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) and K-State sports Network. A free live streaming audio available for all games at KStateSports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app.

How to follow the ‘Cats: Stay up to date on K-State baseball online at www.kstatesports.com and on the team’s social media channels on Facebook, X formally known as Twitter and Instagram.

The post Eight-Run Second Powers #23 K-State to 10th Straight Win appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

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