Wildcats drop game 1 to West Virginia – The Collegian

On a windy night in Manhattan, Kansas State baseball fell 8-3 within the first of a three-game weekend sequence in opposition to the No. 24 West Virginia Mountaineers. Ok-State strikes to 18-10 and 4-3 in Huge 12 play. 

The Wildcats got here able to play each side of the ball. Ok-State beginning pitcher Owen Boerema struck out the aspect within the high of the primary. The bats adopted go well with within the backside half as middle fielder Brendan Jones homered on his pitch. Third basemen Kaelen Culpepper hit a solo shot of his personal to offer Ok-State an early 2-0 lead.

West Virginia’s proper fielder Caleb McNeely gave Boerema issues all night, beginning within the second with a deep residence run into proper. The Mountaineers tagged on one other within the second to tie the sport. McNeely singled to usher in one other run and provides West Virginia the lead within the third inning.

McNeely, this time within the fifth, got here by way of with an RBI double. A groundout scored one other run, increasing the Mountaineer lead, 5-2. 

Kansas State sweeps Oklahoma for first time since 1990

Learn Now

The Wildcat offense started to sputter as West Virginia beginning pitcher Ben Hampton settled in. The southpaw set 13 straight outs and recorded 8 strikeouts by way of simply 5 innings.

Second basemen J.J. Wetherholt, the Huge 12 chief in batting common, hit a no-doubt homer within the sixth. West Virginia led 7-2.

Boerema’s day completed bitter after a powerful begin. The lefty completed after six innings with seven strikeouts, 10 hits and was accountable for all West Virginia’s first seven runs.

Ok-State had a chance to strike within the backside of the sixth, loading the bases with only one out. Freshman Carson Queck, at designated hitter for the evening, struck out trying earlier than proper fielder Money Rugely walked residence a run. It was the only real run the Wildcats scratched throughout within the inning, nonetheless trailing by 4 runs.

The Mountaineers took the lead again to 5 runs within the seventh with a towering solo shot to left area. Ok-State noticed its final alternative to chop the deficit by loading the bases within the eighth however got here away with nothing.

McNeely tripled within the high of ninth to report the primary Mountaineer cycle since 2014. 

Hampton (2-0) acquired the win for West Virginia and Boerema (4-1) recorded his first lack of the season. The second sport of the sequence will happen at 4 p.m. on Saturday.