K-State supplied starter Hudson Treu with enough support to pick up the victory in a 4-2 win over San Francisco in the series opener Thursday at Benedetti Diamond. This is according to a release from K-State Athletics.
Treu struck out four without a walk over his five innings of work, scattering six hits and two earned runs to extend K-State’s (22-30) winning streak to four games.
Jaxson Passino and Tyler Eckberg combined to hold San Francisco (27-27) hitless over the final four innings to preserve the win. Eckberg recorded a four-out save, his second of the year.
Three Wildcats – Hanz Harker, Drew Mount, Jordan Maxson – had two-hit days. Mount and Maxson, along with Dylan Watts and Cameron Thompson, each tallied an RBI in the game as the Cats never trailed.
K-State manufactured single runs in the first and sixth innings to go with a two-run fourth.
In the top of the first, Harker doubled and later scored when Mount reached base via an error to spot True an early 1-0.
Nick Yovetich tied the game with a leadoff home run in the third, his second homer of the year.
K-State answered with two runs on two hits in the top of the fourth, as it brought eight men to the plate in the inning. Mount and Kyle Barfield each singled to spark the inning and Maxson brought home Mount on a fielder’s choice. Watts drew a bases-loaded single for a 3-1 lead.
The Wildcats’ lead was trimmed to one run, 3-2, when Yovetich scored on a sacrifice fly lifted by Jonathan Allen. Ping doubled in the inning as the Dons scored one run on two hits and left a runner.
Thompson walked with the bases full in the top of the sixth to extend the Cats’ lead to 4-2. K-State got hits from Will Brennan and Maxson in the inning.
Passino tossed 2 2/3 innings of relief of Treu, matching his career-long outing. The freshman righty struck out three and walked three.
K-State hitters drew eight walks but stranded 13 baserunners, going 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position.
San Francisco Haydn King suffered the loss after giving up three runs on five hits over three innings.
Yovetich and Ping led the Dons with two hits apiece, each going 2-for-3.
The Wildcats continue their season-ending series at Benedetti Diamond Friday at 5 p.m. CT.