By Chris Kutz, K-State Athletics Communications
(Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics)
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – The K-State baseball team was held to a season-low one hit on Tuesday as the Wildcats dropped the series opener at Minnesota, 5-0, at Siebert Field.
The Wildcats (20-23), shut out for the third time this season, were restricted in most part by Golden Gopher starting pitcher Toby Anderson. The right-hander faced the minimum through the first six frames of his seven-inning outing before allowing a one-out single to Tyler Wolfe in the seventh. Anderson also struck out three and did not walk a batter in his first win of the season.
Minnesota (19-21) tallied seven hits to K-State’s one, with three of them being for extra-bases. The first extra-base hit was a triple in the second inning by Tony Skjefte off Wildcat starting pitcher Mark Biesma, which came around to score on a sacrifice fly two batters later by Micah Coffey. In the fifth, a leadoff home run by Matt Halloran off Biesma made it 2-0 Minnesota, while in the seventh, a two-run homer by Jordan Smith allowed by Lucas Benenati extended the Golden Gopher lead to 4-0.
Minnesota capped its scoring the eighth when Mitch Plassmeyer surrendered a sacrifice fly to Halloran. The K-State left-hander loaded the bases in his only inning of work after allowing a single, walk and single to start the frame.
Biesma took the loss, his second of the year, after allowing two runs on three hits and one walk in four-plus innings. The senior also struck out two in his first start since April 14 vs. Wichita State.
Benenati, who spelled Biesma in the fifth, struck out four in three innings, both season-highs, and allowed two runs on two hits and a walk.
K-State, which had a total of five baserunners in the game with the help of three walks and a hit by pitch, faced only one runner-in-scoring opportunity. In the eighth, Dom Thornton and Ethan Klosterboer drew back-to-back bases-loaded walks issued by Lucas Gilbreath. The opportunity was squandered, though, when Sam Chadick flew out in foul territory in right field.
Klosterboer was the lone Wildcat to reach base more than once as the freshman, in his second career start, drew a walk and was hit by a pitch.
The Wildcats and Golden Gophers will quickly reconvene for the second game of the two-game series on Wednesday at 1 p.m. Both teams have not announced their starting pitchers.
