MANHATTAN, KS. (K-State) – An explosive 11-run second inning and multi-RBI efforts from three different players helped K-State overcome an early deficit, as the Wildcats cruised to a 16-5 victory over South Dakota State Wednesday at Tointon Family Stadium.
K-State (10-6) rallied behind a lead-off home run by Chuck Ingram, as the Wildcats sent 16 players to the plate and scored 11 runs in the second to take control of the game after SDSU (7-10) scored four in the top of the first.
“A really good team win and great approach on a midweek contest, especially coming off an emotional weekend,” said head coach Pete Hughes. “Love the fact that we had so many contributors to today’s win, and kids that don’t have much opportunity to play came out and produced for us.”
“It started at the top of our lineup. [Ingram] set the tone for the whole day, and we bounced back after a slow start. Chuck got us going right away. We didn’t skip a beat,” Hughes said.
Batting in the leadoff spot for the eighth straight game, Ingram nearly hit for the cycle as he went 3-for-4 with three RBI. Kyan Lodice also turned in a three-hit day while Brady Day drove in a game-high four runs for his ninth RBI game, going 1-for-3 with two walks.
The Wildcats finished with 15 base hits, six of which came in the 11-run second inning.
“Great job by our offense, great job by our bullpen and should give us some good momentum going into a tough weekend series.”
K-State used six pitchers in the victory, yielding just five hits while the bullpen combined for 11 strikeouts. Andrew Evans (3-1) logged 4 2/3 innings in relief, as the sophomore righty allowed just one earned run on two hits to earn his second consecutive win.
THE RUNDOWN
SDSU claimed an early four-run lead with Dawson Parry’s grand slam before Ingram immediately responded with a leadoff solo shot to left to ignite the Cats rally.
Trailing 4-3 in the second, Raphael Pelletier walked and advanced to third on a costly error by the third baseman that positioned runners on first and second.
Brendan Jones doubled for the seventh time of the year to score Pelletier and tie the game at 4-all until SDSU walked in a run to hand K-State the go-ahead lead.
The Wildcats took control of the scoreboard, 7-4, with a two-RBI single by Lodice before Danniel Rivera and David Bishop each drove in a run to expand the Cats lead to five.
K-State was far from done as Ingram continued the scoring surge with his first triple of the season to add two to the board while a double by Day capped the 11-run inning.
