Kansas State baseball’s NCAA opener suspended with Wildcats leading Louisiana Tech 9-4

Kansas State baseball raced to an early lead in its NCAA Fayetteville Regional debut Friday night but could not finish the job when a second weather delay finally forced the game to be suspended just before midnight.

The game started an hour late at 8 p.m. because of lightning in the Fayetteville, Arkansas area, and was delayed again just after 10. A rain deluge eventually forced officials to call it a night with the Wildcats leading Louisiana Tech, 9-4, after five innings at Baum-Walker Stadium. It will resume at 11 a.m. Saturday.

K-State led 7-0 and still was up 9-1 before Louisiana Tech scored three times in the bottom the fifth inning.

The winner will face host and top seed Arkansas at 8 p.m. Saturday, with the loser taking on Southeast Missouri State at around 2 p.m. Arkansas beat SEMO, 17-9, on Friday afternoon.

Here are three takeaways from the first five innings of K-State’s first NCAA Tournament game in 11 years.

Kansas State baseball pitcher Owen Boerema doesn’t shy away from the NCAA spotlight

Kansas State baseball excited and relieved to finally receive NCAA Tournament bid

Wildcats come out swinging after first delay

A one-hour weather delay that pushed the start time from 7 to 8 p.m. did not faze Kansas State’s batters, who teed off on Louisiana Tech starter Luke Nichols, scoring twice in the first inning on a Brady Day RBI single and Nick English sacrifice fly and then adding five in the second, all with two outs.

Chuck Ingram started the second-inning rally with a first-pitch home run to left. After Brendan Jones followed with his second walk and stole second, Jaden Parsons drove him home with a single to left center.

Kaelen Culpepper’s RBI triple and a long two-run homer by Day made it 7-0.

Have a night, Chuck Ingram

Kansas State outfielder Chuck Ingram was mired in a deep slump, but he busted out in a big way against Louisiana Tech, going 2-for-2 with a home run, sacrifice fly and two RBI.

Ingram, the Wichita State transfer had one hit in 14 at bats over the previous five games, but he pulled a home run to left in his first trip to the plate, triggering a five-run second inning, then singled his second time up and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

K-State starters Owen Boerema battles control issues

Kansas State ace Owen Boerema, the Wildcats’ No. 1 starter for most of the year, looked sharp in the first inning against Louisiana Tech, needing just nine pitches to get through the first inning before faltering.

Boerema did not make it out of the fifth inning after walking a season-high six batters — three in a one-run second and three more in Louisiana Tech’s three-run fifth. He allowed only two hits and struck out six before giving way to Cole Wisenbaker after 4 2/3 innings.

Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.