From K-State Athletics
K-State freshman Dylan Phillips launched two home runs while junior Chris Ceballos had a three-hit day with a homer, as the Wildcats defeated Texas Southern 11-5 Tuesday at Tointon Family Stadium.
Behind a dozen hits, including three home runs, K-State (24-26) jumped out to a 9-0 lead after five innings. Starter Will Brennan and reliever Andrew Stratman combined to limit Texas Southern (17-32) to one hit over the first five frames
“These are really hard games to play,” head coach Pete Hughes said. “It’s after an emotional weekend and you change game time. You really have to stay focused and just play baseball and that’s it. I thought we did a good job doing that early. I thought we could’ve been more consistent throughout the game, but you get Dylan Phillips going again. That’s an important bat in our lineup.”
Phillips tallied a career-high four runs batted in to go with his first career multi-homer game. The Omaha, Nebraska, product lifted a three-run home run in the fifth that put the Wildcats ahead nine runs. Phillips finished the day 2-for-4 with three runs scored.
Ceballos handed the Cats a 3-0 lead with a three-run home run in the first. The junior catcher homered for the second straight game and now leads the team with eight home runs and 34 runs batted in on the season.
“Chris is hot right now,” added Hughes. “We’ve got to keep him hot for the weekend.”
Phillips hit his first home run of the game, a solo shot, in the second inning to push the K-State lead to four runs.
In the fourth, Cameron Thompson delivered an RBI single with the bases loaded before Will Brennan lifted a sacrifice fly for a two-run frame. Thompson went 2-for-5 after leading off the game with a double down the right field line.
The Tigers scored three in the seventh to cut the deficit to six runs at 9-3. TSU’s three-run inning was highlighted by an RBI double from Jordan Hollis.
Nic Garza roped a two-run double down the line in the top of the eighth to cap the Texas Southern scoring.
Zach Kokoska added an RBI single in the eighth for the Wildcats.
Four Wildcats turned in multi-hit efforts, including two-hit days by Kokoska, Phillips and Thompson.
Brennan earned the win after throwing two hitless innings while Stratman added three innings of one-hit ball. Luke Hauswirth threw a scoreless ninth inning.
TSU starting pitcher Noe Guerrero allowed nine earned runs on nine hits in five innings. Guerrero walked four in taking the loss.
Ryan Diaz had a team-high two hits, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Tyson Thompson, Garza and Hollins each doubled for the Tigers.
K-State drove in seven of its 11 runs with two outs while hitting .417 (5-for-12) with two gone.
