A three-run first inning and solid pitching carried K-State to a 3-2 win over Iowa in the Wildcats home opener.
Shane Conlon got K-State on the board with an RBI-single after back-to-back hits from Ross Kivett and Carter Yagi to start the game. Iowa starter Calvin Matthews then walked two more Wildcat hitters and hit another to allow the other two runs to score.
From there K-State would manage just four hits in the final eight innings, but the Cats pitching staff made sure it didn’t matter.
Starter Levi MaVorhis went six innings and allowed just two runs on seven hits while striking out five and walking just one. Ethan Landon kept the Hawkeyes off the board for an inning and two-thirds, but left with a runner on second and two outs in the eighth inning. Freshman Jordan Floyd then struck out Iowa’s Taylor Zeutenhorst to end the threat.
The top of the ninth saw reigning Big 12 Freshman of the Year Jake Matthys return to form in picking up his first save of the year. Matthys got some help from Max Brown in right field to get the first out of the inning, and then he shut the door with a strikeout and a weak ground ball to second.
Wildcat shortstop Austin Fisher extended his team-high hitting streak to 11 games in the win, but only Conlon had multiple hits for K-State.
The Cats have now won four straight since a 1-7 start and are scheduled to play game two with Iowa tomorrow at 3:00.
