For an offense that struggled most of the night against an oustanding starting pitcher, Ross Kivett was what the doctor ordered for the Kansas State Baseball team. Kivett hit a two-out, two-run triple down the right field line and reliever Jake Matthys worked three scoreless innings to allow the Wildcats to come from behind and defeat Texas 3-2 in the opener of a three-game Big 12 Conference series Friday night before a crowd of 5.451 at Disch-Falk Field in Austin.
K-State was frustrated on offense much of the night stranding 11 runners on base before Kivett’s big blow off relief pitcher Travis Duke who took the loss in place of starter Tyler French who had worked seven innings of one-run ball. Despite getting into a little trouble in the ninth inning Matthys a freshman from Spring Lake Park, Minnesota registered five strikeouts including one for the last out of the game and improved his record this season to 7-0. To reflect the Wildcats’ offensive struggles in this game their only other run of the night came on a Mitch Meyer Sacrifice Fly in the second inning.
Friday’s win was the first for K-State in Austin since 2009. The two teams will meet again in the middle game of the series on Saturday afternoon, first pitch is set for 2 p.m.
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