Cameron Thompson had a game-high three hits, Trent McMaster homered and Tyler Eckberg picked up the win as K-State held on for a 6-5 victory in 11 innings over Omaha Wednesday night at Werner Park. That’s according to a release from K-State Athletics.
Freshman Dylan Watts came on as a pinch hitter in the top of the 11th inning, drew a walk and came around to score what proved to be the winning run after three passed balls by Omaha catcher Adam Caniglia.
K-State (18-23), who never trailed in the game, completes a home-and-home season series sweep of Omaha (13-23).
Eckberg entered the game in the ninth inning with the Wildcats holding a 5-4 lead but gave up a leadoff triple to Thomas DeBonville. DeBonville later scored on a sacrifice fly to push the game into extra innings.
The Cats led 5-3 after scoring two in the top of the sixth inning, only to see the Mavericks get those two runs back in the home half. The teams remained scoreless until UNO’s run in the bottom of the ninth.
Eckberg earned the win after striking out four over three innings of work, allowing just one hit and one earned run without a walk.
Thompson was 3-for-5 with a double while McMaster recorded a double before launching his second home run of the season in the fourth. Hanz Harker had two hits and two RBI, including a two-run single in the sixth.
McMaster began the K-State second with a double and later scored on an RBI groundout from Brett Owen. Rainer Ausmus, who singled in the frame, scored on a two-out single from Will Brennan to give the Cats an early 2-0 lead after the top of the second.
Brennan was one of four Wildcats to turn in a multi-hit game.
K-State starter Gabe Littlejim held the Mavs scoreless through two innings without giving up a hit along with a pair of walks.
A string of four consecutive singles off reliever Quinton Potter helped the Mavericks tie the game, 2-2, in the third. DeBonville’s RBI single brought home the Mavs’ first run before Braden Rogers’ RBI fielder’s choice tied the game.
Potter pitched one inning, yielding two earned run on four hits without a strikeout.
McMaster put the Cats back in front with his solo homer to lead off the fourth inning. It was McMaster’s second home run of his career and 20th run batted in on the season.
Harker extended K-State’s lead to three runs with a two-out single in the sixth that brought home TK McWhertor and Owen. The Wildcats loaded the base with a two-out single by McWhertor before back-to-back walks by Owen and Brennan.
Holding a 5-2 lead, reliever Hudson Treu inherited the bases loaded with nobody out in the sixth inning. The Mavs, who brought eight to the plate in the inning, drew consecutive walks off Treu to cut the Wildcats’ lead to a single run. Treu struck out the last two Mavs he faced to end the threat and take a 5-4 lead to the seventh inning.
Treu tossed two scoreless innings and matched a season high with four strikeouts. Brogan Heinen lifted Treu and tossed a scoreless eighth before giving way to Eckberg.
DeBonville scored the tying run in the bottom of the ninth inning after tripling Tyler Eckberg to begin the ninth inning. He scored on a sacrifice fly from Suponchick to push the game into extra innings.
Mavericks reliever Cam Fowler suffered the loss after allowing Watts to score in the 11th. Fowler went four innings and gave up just one hit, a walk and struck out three.
Seven Wildcat pitchers combined to strikeout 11 Omaha batters and limited UNO to 2-for-13 (.154) with two outs.
Four of K-State’s six runs came with two outs.
K-State returns to Tointon Family Stadium after an eight-game road trip, as the Baylor Bears (23-17, 6-9) visit Manhattan. The entire three-game series, which begins Friday at 6:30 p.m.
