MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State recorded a three-run seventh inning to pull within one of Oklahoma State, but the Cowboys answered with three of their own the next half inning en route to a 9-5 victory Sunday afternoon at Tointon Family Stadium.
With the win, Oklahoma State completed the weekend sweep as it improved to 26-17 overall and 11-7 in Big 12 Conference play. The Wildcats, who saw their losing skid extended to eight games, are now 19-26 on the season and 3-15 in league action.
OSU scored single runs in four of the first six innings before plating two in the seventh. Trailing 6-2, K-State battled back in the frame thanks to some Cowboy miscues as a throwing error on a fielder’s choice, a RBI single by Tanner Witt and a passed ball made the score 6-5.
The Cowboys were able to answer K-State’s call by getting all three runs back in the eighth due to an error and a two-out, two-RBI single off the bat of Mark Ginther. Kansas State tried to rally again by loading the bases in the bottom half with two outs, but Blake Barnes induced a fly out and worked a scoreless ninth inning, sending Oklahoma State to its eighth-straight win.
OSU saw six players tally multi-hit games, including three-hit contests by Saulyer Saxon and Trey Whaley. The No. 4-6 hitters in the Cowboy lineup – Jared Womack, Ginther and Whaley – drove in two runs apiece.
Left-hander Kyle Ottoson (4-5) came on in relief of starter Randy McCurry in the third inning to shut down a Wildcat threat in before forcing K-State to strand two runners on base in each of the next two frames. Barnes worked around three hits to pitch a scoreless 2.1 innings as he earned his third save of the season. The trio of Cowboy pitchers forced the Wildcats to strand 15 runners, one shy of their season high.
Ross Kivett and Austin Fisher, the top two hitters in K-State’s lineup, led the Wildcats with two hits apiece. Wade Hinkle drove in a run in the first inning on a two-out double down the right-field line, while Matt Giller hit a pinch-hit RBI single in the fifth. Matt Applegate (2-6), who allowed the first two Oklahoma State runs in 3.1 innings of work, suffered the loss.
(Story courtesy of KStateSports.com)
NEXT GAME: Tuesday, May 1 at Wichita State (27-20 overall, 6-6 Missouri Valley)
Kansas State will be back on the diamond Tuesday, as the Wildcats head south to Wichita, Kan., for a match-up with in-state rival Wichita State. The game can be heard in the Manhattan area can hear the game on SportsRadio 1350 KMAN and online at 1350kman.com. Coverage on KMAN will begin at 6 p.m. with the BD4 Distributing Pregame Show. First pitch from Eck Stadium is slated for 6:30 p.m.
