By Chris Kutz, K-State Athletics Communications
(Photo Courtesy Kansas State Athletics)
The K-State baseball team captured its fourth win over a Top-25 team over the last four weeks, coming from behind to beat No. 19 Texas Tech, 5-3, in the series opener on Friday at Tointon Family Stadium.
Behind Taylor Anderson’s career-high two RBIs and two hits, the Wildcats (18-18, 5-8 Big 12) evened their record to .500 for the first time since March 21 as they have won five of their last six games. The Wildcats’ four wins over Top-25 teams this season are also their most since 2011 when they had seven.
K-State was held hitless by Ryan Moseley of Texas Tech (23-15, 7-6 Big 12) through the first 4 2/3 innings; however, Shane Conlon not only notched the Wildcats’ first hit of the game with a two-out double in the fifth, but he drove in K-State’s first run of a four-run frame that gave it a 4-3 lead. Conlon’s team-leading 11th double of the season plated Jake Wodtke, who reached with a leadoff hit by pitch, to make it 3-1 Texas Tech. After Tyler Moore drew K-State’s sixth walk of the game with the bases loaded to cut it to 3-2, Anderson hit a single through the right-side to drive in the game-tying and eventual game-winning runs.
“Mosely kept making pitches when he needed to, but we finally got to him (in the fifth inning),” said K-State head coach Brad Hill. “Taylor (Anderson) got a big swing for us, and we took advantage of a couple of walks in that inning.”
Anderson helped the Wildcats add an insurance run in the eighth when he hit his first career triple into the right-field corner off of Red Raider reliever Corey Taylor. In the next at-bat, Sam Chadick, who pinch ran for Anderson, scored on a squeeze play that went down as a single for Keith Browning as Taylor was unable to field the ball on the run near home plate.
K-State starting pitcher Colton Kalmus did not factor into the decision after throwing four-plus innings. The redshirt sophomore surrendered a three-run home run to Stephen Smith in the third that made it 3-0 Red Raiders. The right-hander finished the day allowing three hits and three runs (two earned) while walking two and striking out two.
The Wildcat bullpen threw five shutout innings, led by two frames each from Brandon Erickson and Bryce Ward. Erickson picked up his first win after allowing just one hit, a two-out single in the fifth, over two innings. Ward, meanwhile, tossed a scoreless seventh and eighth innings, lowering his ERA over his last 13 appearances to 1.69 (3er, 16.0ip).
Corey Fischer earned his first career save despite walking two in the ninth inning. The right-hander struck out the first batter he faced, but issued free passes to the next two batters to put the game-tying run on first. Fischer, though, settled in and induced a fly out and fielder’s choice to close out the Wildcats’ 11th home win of the season.
“Three runs in one inning – that’s all our pitching staff gave up against a very, very good-hitting ball club,” said Hill. “Kudos goes out to them.”
Moseley took the loss after the right-hander surrendered four runs on two hits and six walks in five innings.
K-State and Texas Tech will meet for game two of the three-game series on Saturday at 2 p.m. Right-hander Brandon Courville will make the start for the Wildcats, his fourth of the season, and face Texas Tech left-hander Cameron Smith.
