Friday: K-State 10 Texas Tech 5

Thirteen hits, including homers by Seth Dardar, Maximus Martin, and Keegan O’Connor, powered K-State to a 10-5 victory over Texas Tech in the series opener at Tointon Family Stadium on Friday night.

K-State (17-8, 6-1 Big 12) produced six extra-base hits in the series-opening win with four players turning in multi-hit performances, leading the Wildcats to their eighth consecutive win at home.

Smith struck out three of the six batters he faced, ending his fifth outing with 1 2/3 scoreless innings.

Seven Wildcats produced a hit in the victory, led by three-hit performances from Dee Kennedy and Martin, who was a triple short of completing the cycle and finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored. Dardar, Martin and O’Connor each turned in three RBI while AJ Evasco drove in one.

The Wildcats knocked Texas Tech starter Jonny Lowe out of the game after 1 1/3 innings. The right-hander gave up seven earned runs on four hits to go with four walks and two strikeouts.

Sophomore Adam Arther (1-0) picked up his first collegiate victory in relief of starter Jacob Frost, who was spotted for four runs (two earned) on five hits in his four innings. Arther scattered one hit in his 1 1/3 innings of work, while Blake Dean surrendered one run over the final two innings with no walks and three strikeouts.

Saturday: K-State 6 Texas Tech 3

For the first time in 125 years of K-State baseball, the Wildcats are off to a 7-1 start in league action after dealing Texas Tech a 6-3 loss Saturday afternoon at Tointon Family Stadium. The victory clinched the Big 12 series and marked the Cats’ ninth consecutive win at home.

Trailing 5-0, Texas Tech (4-15, 4-4 Big 12) pulled within two with a pair of solo home runs and RBI double in the fifth forcing K-State to make a call to the bullpen. James Guyette relieved starter Michael Quevedo and allowed a hit to the first batter he faced.

With one out and runners on first and second, the defense rolled a crucial and unconventional 5-4-3-2 double play to defend the lead and secure K-State’s (18-8, 7-1 Big 12) fourth series win of the season.

Guyette (2-1) tossed 4 2/3 innings of one-hit ball, wrapping up his 10th relief outing of the season with four strikeouts and one walk.

With the win, K-State clinched its sixth straight Big 12 series dating back to last season while the Cats’ perfect 9-0 record at Tointon Family Stadium marks the best start at home since 2014.

Four Wildcats produced a hit, led by multi-hit days from AJ Evasco and Keegan O’Connor. The duo combined for four of the Cats’ six RBI, while Dee Kennedy and Evasco each homered.

The Wildcats have registered a home run in 10 consecutive games, totaling 21 in the stretch. On the year, K-State ranks second in the Big 12 with 48 homers.

Quevedo was spotted for three earned runs in his 4 1/3 innings, compiling a game-high six strikeouts.

Sunday: K-State 5 Texas Tech 4

K-State completed the series sweep of Texas Tech on Sunday afternoon, as Shintaro Inoue’s two-run walk-off single lifted the Wildcats to a 5-4 victory at Tointon Family Stadium.

The Wildcats (19-8, 8-1 Big 12) trailed 4-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth. Catcher Bear Madliak doubled to right field before a hit by pitch and clutch RBI-single from pinch hitter Sam Flores brought the game within one.

Dee Kennedy was hit by a pitch to load the bases and force TTU (8-16, 4-5 Big 12) to make a call to the bullpen. With no outs and bases loaded, Inoue laced a 2-2 pitch pass the diving efforts of the Red Raiders’ second baseman to plate the tying- and game-winning runs, handing the Wildcats their 10th consecutive victory at home.

“Our bullpen really saved the day, specifically our two seniors, Ty Ruhl and JJ Slack. I’m just happy for guys like Sam Flores, who hasn’t played a whole lot of baseball this spring, but his mindset has never left the ‘team first’. He’s never caught up in himself. He puts himself in a really good place mentally when we call his number. Who knows when we’re going to do it, but we did today, and he was ready. So, a heck of a role model for our younger players. It’s just fun putting yourself in a situation in the ninth inning where you get a chance to win a game and sweep the series. It was a fun day.”

K-State utilized five pitchers in the win with Ruhl and Slack combining for 5 1/3 shutout innings in relief. Slack (1-2), who was awarded his first win of the season, struck out five of the seven batters he faced. The left-hander issued one walk before he struck out the side in the ninth, building momentum heading into the final frame.

Keegan O’Connor, who led the weekend with a .455 average (5-for-11), finished the day 2-for-3 with a double and his second home run of the series. In addition to O’Connor, Inoue also produced a multi-hit effort, going 2-for-4. The duo combined for four of the Wildcats’ five RBI.

With the win, the Wildcats recorded their third sweep over Texas Tech in program history and first since 2013. The victory also marks K-State’s second consecutive 19-8 start.

K-State hit .277 (26-for-94) in its third straight home series win against TTU, registering six doubles and six home runs. The Wildcats slugged .532 overall and hit .320 (8-for-25) with runners in scoring position with five two-out RBI.

Big 12 Standings (Overall record, league record)

K-State (19-8, 8-1)
Arizona State (19-9, 7-2)
Kansas (23-6, 6-3)
Arizona (20-7, 6-3)
West Virginia (22-4, 4-3)
TCU (21-8, 5-4)
Baylor (19-8, 4-5)
Cincinnati (16-11, 4-5)
BYU (14-11, 4-5)
Texas Tech (8-16, 4-5)
UCF (17-10, 3-6)
Houston (15-12, 3-6)
Utah (13-13, 2-7)
Oklahoma State (12-13, 1-6)

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