SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Kansas State spotted No. 19 Oregon State a 6-0 lead after three innings before battling back to get to within two runs, but the Beavers scored six unearned runs in the sixth inning on their way to a 13-5 win Sunday afternoon at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
With the loss, the Wildcats finished their season-opening road trip with a 3-4 mark, while OSU improved to 5-3 on the season.
Oregon State hit three home runs in the game, including a sixth-inning grand slam by Danny Hayes that turned a 7-4 game into a seven-run advantage. The Beavers also received two RBI apiece from Michael Conforto and Ryan Barnes.
K-State starter Jared Moore (0-1) took the loss after surrendering six runs on six hits in just over two innings. Gerardo Esquivel stopped the Beavers over the next two frames, but he allowed a run in the fifth inning before left-hander Shane Conlon surrendered six unearned runs in the sixth.
Trailing 6-0, the Wildcats got back into the game by scoring two runs in both the third and fourth innings. In the third,Ross Kivett scored on a passed ball followed by a Jared King RBI double. In the fourth, Matt Giller reached on a leadoff error, then a pair of two-out walks loaded the bases. Wade Hinkle then slapped a base hit into right field to make the score 6-4.
With runners on the corners and two outs, Oregon State reliever Matt Boyd (2-0) ended the threat with a fielder’s choice then followed up with two scoreless frames. Boyd totaled 4.2 innings in the game, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits with four walks and two strikeouts.
Oregon State added a run in the fifth on a bases-loaded walk to go up 7-4 before its explosion in the sixth inning. The frame began with a single before a pop out, an error and a foul out put runners on second and third with two outs. K-State then intentionally walked Conforto to load the bases for Hayes, but the first baseman hit a ball over the right-center field wall to break open the game.
King, Hinkle, Jake Brown and RJ Santigate led the Wildcats at the plate with two hits apiece. Hinkle drove in a pair of runs to improve his season total to a team-high seven on the year. Mike Kindel recorded his second homer of the season, a solo shot over the wall in right field in the seventh inning.
K-State relievers Robert Youngdahl, Nate Williams and Jake Doller each threw no-hit innings to finish out the contest for the Wildcats.
(Story courtesy of KStateSports.com)
Next Game: Friday, March 2 vs. Pacific (0-8 overall, 0-5 away)
Kansas State will open up its 30-game home schedule on Friday as the Wildcats begin a three-game series with Pacific at 3 p.m. All three games can be heard on KMAN and online at 1350kman.com.
