FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 6, 2022
LOS ANGELES (Kansas State Athletics) – Attempting a series sweep Sunday, K-State jumped out to a three-run lead before Loyola Marymount responded with nine unanswered runs, as the Lions salvaged the finale of the three-game series at Page Stadium 14-7.
After setting season highs in hits in back-to-back games to begin the weekend series, K-State (3-7) surrendered season highs in both runs and hits on Sunday. Five Wildcat pitchers combined to allow 19 hits, as Loyola Marymount (2-8-1) scored in six of eight innings it came to the plate, scoring multiple runs six times.
“We didn’t pitch well enough and we didn’t swing the bats well enough,” head coach Pete Hughes said. “We got our hits but left 12 guys on base and left a lot of runs on the board. A lot of credit to Loyola Marymount, they kept answering whenever we put pressure on them. They could’ve packed it in after we went up 3-0 but they didn’t. Shame on us for not putting them away when we had the chances.”
The Wildcats posted three runs in the second inning, highlighted by a Josh Nicoloff two-run homer and an RBI double from Orlando Salinas, Jr.
LMU answered with two in the home half before three more in the fourth, one run in the fifth and three runs in the sixth.
A three-run double from Dominic Johnson helped cut the deficit from six runs to two in the top of the seventh, only to see Diego Baqueiro smash a three-run home run off Christian Ruebeck in the bottom of the frame.
Baqueiro, the Lions’ leader in home runs and RBI, was hitless in the series until he connected on his fourth bomb of the season. Baqueiro ended with four RBI.
Three LMU hitters carded three-hit days, including leadoff hitter Devan Ornelas who scored three times. Dylan Dennis was 3-for-4 with an RBI and Khadim Diaw was 3-for-5 with a run batted in.
Johnson paced the Cats’ offense with three hits, ending the afternoon 3-for-6 with three RBI. Kaelen Culpepper, Justin Mitchell, Nicoloff and Salinas each produced two-hit days.
Seven of the Wildcats’ nine starter registered a base hit, as the team eclipsed double-digit hits for the fifth straight game.
K-State starter Blake Corsentino took the loss after giving up five earned runs on seven hits over three innings. Entering Sunday, the Ventura, California, native had not allowed a run over 8 2/3 innings.
Ruebeck’s ledger showed five earned on six hits over two innings of relief while Tyler Ruhl yielded four runs on four hits in two frames.
German Fajardo and Nico Rodriguez combined for a scoreless inning out of the bullpen.
K-State was just 4-for-16 with runners in scoring position and 6-for-25 with men on base. Conversely, LMU hit .500 with two outs (7-for-14) and .481 (13-for-27) with runners on base.
The 12 runners left on base was a season high for the Cats.
