By Chris Kutz, K-State Athletics Communications
Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics
AUSTIN, Texas – The K-State baseball team was limited to two hits and one run on Sunday as the Wildcats were swept in their Big 12-opening series by No. 14 Texas after a 6-1 loss at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
K-State (11-12, 0-3 Big 12), which was coming off a combined 14 hits in Saturday’s doubleheader, notched both of its season-low two hits in the third inning. Tyler Moore led off the frame with a single, and after a sacrifice bunt by Max Brown and a walk drawn by Tyler Wolfe, Clayton Dalrymple later came through with a two-out RBI single off Texas starting pitcher Kacy Clemens to tie the game at 1-1.
The one run by the Wildcats, who plated five runs over the weekend’s three games, marked the fourth time this season they scored one run or less in a game.
“We were not able to press (Texas) offensively,” said K-State head coach Brad Hill. “We couldn’t get any life in our dugout and bring us any energy. We had about two opportunities, maybe, in the game (to score runs). With a pitching staff (like Texas), that’s all you may get and our guys are going to have to learn to step up and take advantage of those opportunities. We are going to have to get over the hump, and we are going to need to figure out how to manufacture some offense when the hits aren’t there.”
Texas (16-8, 5-1 Big 12), meanwhile, utilized nine hits to help it score the half-dozen runs on Sunday, with five of the runs occurring over the final four innings.
Wildcat starting pitcher Corey Fischer was charged with the loss after being responsible for four runs on five hits and two walks in 4 1/3 innings. Three of the four runs came in the fifth when an RBI double by Ben Johnson was followed up by a two-run home run by Collin Shaw to bust open a tie game and make it 4-1 Texas.
Prior to a one-out walk issued to Zane Gurwitz in the fifth that ignited the Texas scoring, Fischer had bounced back from a single and a walk in a scoreless second to retire 10 Longhorns in a row.
K-State surrendered a Texas insurance run in both the seventh and eighth innings, with the seventh-inning run, charged to Brandon Erickson, following a top half of the frame in which the Wildcats stranded a runner in scoring position. It was one of the Wildcats’ four runners left on base in the game.
For the third time in the series, the Texas bullpen stymied the Wildcat bats by throwing three no-hit innings. Travis Duke worked the sixth and one out in the seventh before handing the ball over to Connor Mayes, who earned the save after striking out two in his 2 2/3 innings. In the series, the Longhorn bullpen surrendered just one hit in 7 2/3 innings pitched.
Clemens surrendered both of the Wildcat hits in his five innings while also walking three and striking out one in the winning decision. The right-hander allowed the RBI single to Dalrymple in the third, but he ended his outing by retiring seven in a row.
K-State will now return to Tointon Family Stadium and square off against Omaha in a midweek contest on Wednesday, March 25 at 6:30 p.m.
