(Courtesy K-State Sports Information)
Don Lambert’s two-run double in the top of the 15thbroke a 7-7 tie and sent Wichita State to a 9-7 victory over Kansas State Tuesday night at Tointon Family Stadium. It was the longest game in terms of innings by the Wildcats since a 20-inning affair against Texas in 2004. Earlier that season, K-State and Wichita State played a 16-inning game, a 12-7 WSU victory.
The first five Wichita State batters in the 15th inning reached base against K-State reliever Jake Doller (1-1). Two walks were sandwiched around a single before Lambert’s double. The Shockers still had the bases loaded and no one out when a walk followed Lambert’s two-bagger, but Doller struck out two Shockers before a fly out ended the frame. A.J. Ladwig (3-1), who came out of the bullpen in the 11th, finished off the game in the bottom half as he retired the side in order.
Wichita State was led at the plate by Dayne Parker, who went 4-for-6. Lambert – who also hit a two-run homer in the second inning in the ninth-pitch of the at-bat – had four RBI, while Shocker catcher Ryan Hege drove in three.
K-State could only manage five hits on the night, but two were home runs to keep the Wildcats in the contest. Trailing 6-1, Jared King hit a two-run opposite-field homer to pull the Wildcats to within three at 6-3. It was King’s fourth home run of the season, but his first since March 17 at Texas A&M. In the sixth, the Wildcats saw its first two men reach base before a throwing error made the score 6-4. Following a pair of outs and a walk, Dan Klein belted a 1-1 pitch over the left-field wall to give the Cats a 7-6 advantage. Klein, who missed a walk-off home run in the ninth inning by a matter of feet, led the team with his three RBI. King drove in a pair of runs with his homer, while Mike Kindel drove home a run in the second on a ground out.
K-State, which fell to 19-22 on the season, is now 1-3 this season in extra-inning games. With the win, the Shockers improved to 25-19 on the season and won their third-straight Tuesday night extra-inning game against a Big 12 team. It also marked the first win by a Shocker ballclub in Manhattan since 2008.
