Oklahoma got solo home runs from Austin O’Brien and Brylie Ware while starter Devon Perez quieted the Kansas State offense in a 3-0 series-deciding game Sunday in K-State’s home finale at Tointon Family Stadium.
According to a release from K-State Athletics, K-State (26-22, 5-13 Big 12) left 10 runners on base, including a pair in both the seventh and eighth innings, as the Wildcats went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. K-State stranded 10 or more baserunners in each of the three games in the series with Oklahoma (32-17, 10-8 Big 12).
Perez (5-2) sailed through 6 2/3 innings of work, scattering five hits and striking out eight Wildcats without allowing a run.
“Just couldn’t quite get it together today,” said head coach Brad Hill. “Their kid pitched a really nice game, great job of mixing [pitches]. He did a really nice job. We had two opportunities for two-out base hits to get RBIs, we had to come through. That puts you in a tough situation to rely on two-out RBI. We just couldn’t get four or five at-bats strung together.”
The bottom of the eighth saw the Cats’ best threat in what was a 2-0 game, as Josh Rolette’s double followed a two-out single by Steve Serratore that put the pair in scoring position, however, both would eventually be stranded.
Jake Wodtke knocked his third base hit of the day in the seventh and, after stealing second, was in scoring position with two outs. Leadoff hitter Will Brennan walked but, again, both would be left on the base paths. K-State had just two hits (2-for-14) with runners on base in the game.
Ware, the OU designated hitter, hit an insurance solo homer in the ninth off reliever Colton Kalmus, who had retired the first seven Sooners he faced up to that point.
“Bullpen gave us a chance,” added Hill. “We had to throw some zeroes up there. Ware happened to get one, but we had an opportunity.”
Three K-State relievers – Kalmus, Tyler Eckberg and Jordan Floyd – combined to give up just one run on two hits with four strikeouts over the final 4 2/3 innings.
Oklahoma brought home the game’s first run in the third inning after three singles off K-State starter Kasey Ford. The third single came off the bat of Jack Flansburg that scored Cade Harris and gave the Sooners the early 1-0 lead.
Ford was tagged for his first loss of the season (2-1) after allowing two earned runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings while walking one.
In the fourth, OU first baseman O’Brien launched his solo homer to right, his second of the series, that pushed Oklahoma’s lead to 2-0.
K-State had two runners in scoring position with two outs in the fifth, but was unable to cut the deficit. The Cats had just three hits through the game’s first five innings, two of which came in the fifth.
In the next half inning, the Sooners had two in scoring position with no one out after Flansburg drew a leadoff walk and Renae Martinez doubled. Eckberg struck out Ware and after an intentional walk to O’Brien, the bases were loaded with one out. The freshman right wiggled out of the jam with his second strikeout of the inning before inducing an inning-ending ground ball to Quintin Crandall at short.
Wodtke, a senior playing in his final home game, had three of K-State’s seven hits as he went 3-for-4 with a double after going 4-for-5 in Saturday’s ballgame. Serratore, also a senior, went 2-for-4.
“It’s been a good class,” Hill said of the senior class playing in their final home game. “They’ve been good leaders. They’ve really grown in their roles as team leaders.”
K-State will head east down I-70 to face in-state rival Kansas in a three-game set beginning Friday. The first game of the Sunflower Showdown is set for 6:30 p.m., at Hoglund Ballpark. The entire series will stream live on ESPN3 and the WatchESPN app. Fans can also listen KMAN 1350 AM, 93.3 FM and streaming free at k-statesports.com.
