By Chris Kutz, K-State Athletics Communications
Dillon Peters and Morgan Cooper of No. 19 Texas combined for a no-hitter against the K-State baseball team on Friday at Tointon Family Stadium as the Wildcats lost 12-0 in the series opener.
Peters, the Longhorns starting pitcher, walked three, hit a batter, and struck out eight in seven innings to earn his sixth win of the season. Cooper, meanwhile, walked one and fanned one in his two innings.
The combined no-hitter was Texas’ first since May 11, 2013 in a seven-inning game against Texas Southern.
“Peters worked inside and outside of the plate really well,” said K-State head coach Brad Hill. “His ability to throw in on our right-handers was outstanding, and he almost did that exact thing to us last year, too. We hit three or four balls hard all night. They pounded on us, and we just could not manufacture anything.”
Friday’s result was the fourth time this season K-State (24-29, 4-18 Big 12) has been shut out, and third time in the last eight games. It was also the sixth time in 61 meetings between Texas (35-15, 12-10 Big 12) and K-State that the Wildcats have been shut out.
The defeat extended K-State’s conference losing streak to 11 games.
Texas, which had 16 hits after the third inning, scored seven of its first eight runs with two outs, beginning with an RBI double by Ben Johnson in the third that scored Brooks Marlow, who reached with a two-out triple.
“That’s been our nemesis this season: you go get two quick outs, and next thing you know, you can’t put anyone away,” said Hill. “We’re doing things you can’t do in baseball.”
The Wildcats also issued five walks in addition to the 19 total hits allowed.
The Longhorns added three runs in the fourth, all on RBI singles, and scored three more in fifth after the first two batters of the inning were retired. Back-to-back two-out walks surrendered by K-State reliever Landon Busch eventually scored in the fifth, and C.J. Hinojosa’s RBI single capped the frame to give Texas a 7-0 lead.
In the sixth, Marlow drew a leadoff walk issued by Jordan Witcig, and he later scored on Tres Barrera’s two-out RBI single.
The Longhorns tacked on four runs in the ninth with a leadoff home run by Madison Carter and a three-run home run by Kacy Clemens.
K-State starting pitcher Jake Matthys took the loss, his fifth of the year, after allowing four runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Ross Kivett, Clayton Dalrymple, Max Brown, and Kyle Speer each drew a walk while Austin Fisher’s hit by pitch in the second inning rounded out the five K-State baserunners.
Kivett walked with two outs in the third, and stole second to give the Wildcats one of their two baserunners in scoring position all night. The steal was also Kivett’s 79th of his career, moving him into sole possession of first place in K-State history in career stolen bases.
K-State and Texas will meet in game two of the three-game set on Saturday, May 17 at 6:30 pm. Senior Jared Moore will start for the Wildcats on Senior Night and face the Longhorns’ Nathan Thornhill.
