MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (K-State Athletics) – The pitching staff of Owen Boerema, Blake Dean, and Tyson Neighbors combined to strike out 12 Mountaineers Friday night, as K-State outlasted West Virginia, 4-3, in the series opener at Wagener Field at Kendrick Family Ballpark.
The victory marked K-State’s (29-19, 13-12 Big 12) first win in Morgantown since April 22, 2018, and fourth true road win overall vs. the Mountaineers (29-19, 15-10 Big 12) since the series started in 2013.
“Another tight well played Friday game for our guys,” said head coach Pete Hughes following his team’s ninth series opening win of the season. “[Boerema] set the tone and had a great start. He was able to keep a really good offense off balance and off the bases.”
In his 15th start of the season, Boerema fanned eight batters and scattered five hits in his seven innings of work. The lefty graduate struck out the side in the third and finished the night allowing three runs, all earned, to grab his fifth win of the season (5-3).
“We were able to start fast offensively, something that is critical on the road. All around it was clean, tough baseball tonight. Proud of our guys,” Hughes commented.
Six different Wildcats contributed hits in the nightcap led by two-hit days from Brady Day and Kaelen Culpepper. Day, who was 2-for-5, drove in a game-high two runs.
The first five spots in order combined to hit .350 (7-for-20) with four RBI and four runs scored.
Behind Boerema, Dean and Neighbors each logged a scoreless inning, with Dean surrendering one hit to the first batter he faced. The duo each struck out two in their outings, while Neighbors earned his seventh save of the year and fifth consecutive.
Now with 18 career saves, the junior from Royse City, Texas, ties third all-time in the career record books alongside David Johnson (1994-97).
Junior Brendan Jones recorded two of the Wildcats’ five stolen bases against the Mountaineers, bringing his season total to 34. With 64 career stolen bases, the Big 12 stolen bases leader took sole possession of the No. 3 spot in the Cats’ all-time leaderboard behind Ross Kivett (80, 2011-14) and Adam Muenster (78, 2007-10).
THE RUNDOWN
K-State opened scoring in the first frame, as Jones singled into right-center to lead off the game and moved into scoring position after stealing his 33rd base of the season. A sacrifice bunt from Kyan Lodice moved Jones to third until the junior centerfielder scored on a hit into left from Day.
WVU took advantage of a hit by pitch to even to score, but the Wildcats quickly regained the lead as Lodice doubled into left field and scored on Culpepper’s first hit of the night. Boerema struck out the side in the bottom of the inning to preserve the lead.
In the sixth, Culpepper and freshman Nick English strung together a pair of hits to extend the Cats lead to two, 3-1.
After three scoreless innings, a one-out, solo home run for WVU’s Reed Chumley trimmed down the Cats lead to one.
The two squads each exchanged a run in the seventh with K-State out in front, 4-3.
Chumley recorded a lead-off single off of Dean but was left stranded as the Cats’ right-handed freshman retired three straight to end the threat.
INSIDE THE BOX
- K-State scored four runs on eight hits, committed no errors, and left 10 men on base.
- WVU scored three runs on six hits with two errors committed and stranded seven on base.
- Six different Wildcats generated a hit with two Wildcats turning in two-hit days (Day, Culpepper)
- Day, who went 2-for-5, drove in a game-high two RBI – his ??? multi-RBI game of the season.
- Jones stole two of the Cats’ five stolen bases.
- Boerema received his fifth victory of the season, allowing three earned runs on five hits and struck out eight.
- Dean and Neighbors each logged a scoreless inning with Dean scattering one hit.
- Neighbors was credited with his seventh save of the season.
- The pitching staff struck out 12.
- Three Wildcats doubled in the nightcap (Lodice, Culpepper, Pelletier).
- Only four of the games’ 14 hits were for extra bases.
- K-State hit .211 (4-for-19) with runners on base and went 4-for-14 (.286) with runners in scoring position while WVU was 3-for-14 (.143) with men on and 3-for-6 in scoring position.
NOTES
- West Virginia holds an 18-14 edge in the all-time series since the series start in 2013, including an 18-13 lead in Big 12 action.
- K-State picked up its first win in Morgantown since April 22, 2018 – fourth overall (4-9).
- Cats improve to 11-13 on the road this season, that includes 9-12 in true road games and 6-7 in Conference action.
- With two stolen bases on the night, Jones took sole possession of the No. 3 spot in the all-time career stolen bases leaderboard (64).
- Jones’ 34 stolen bases this season rank third in the single-season records.
- Neighbors earned his fifth consecutive save – ties third all-time with 18 alongside David Johnson (1994-97).
ON DECK
Round two between the Wildcats and Mountaineers is now scheduled for 2 p.m. CT/3 p.m. ET at Wagener Field. The Big 12 series can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app, while radio coverage is available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM). A free, live streaming audio available for all games at KStateSports.com/watch and on the K-State Sports app.
How to follow the ‘Cats: Stay up to date on K-State baseball online at www.kstatesports.com and on the team’s social media channels on Facebook, X formally known as Twitter and Instagram.
The post K-State Holds Off West Virginia Friday Night, 4-3 appeared first on News Radio KMAN.
