K-State Drops Opener to Cal, 5-1

BERKELEY, Calif. – California pitchers Tyson Ross and Daniel Wolford combined to give up just one run and strike out 12 Wildcat batters as the Golden Bears took Friday’s game, 5-1, at Evans Diamond.

Ross (1-0) struck out seven batters in five innings to pick up the win for California (1-0). Wolford came in for the final four innings and didn’t allow a hit to pick up his first save of the season. K-State’s Brad Hutt (0-1) took the loss as he gave up three earned runs in six innings of work.

Kansas State got off to a quick start when leadoff batter Jordan Cruz homered to right field. It was the first leadoff homer by a Wildcat in nearly four years when Terry Blunt led off a game against Oklahoma State with a homer on April, 23, 2004.

California came right back in the bottom of the first inning with a pair of runs. After a Charlie Cutler walk, Jeff Kobernus doubled to deep centerfield. Cutler was able to score from first on the play as K-State catcher Rob Vaughn dropped the ball while applying the tag. Kobernus advanced to third on the throw to home and then scored on a David Cooper ground out to second.

Cal grabbed another run in the third and the fourth. In the third, Rich Gorman doubled to right centerfield to start the inning, moved to third on a fly out to right by Cutler and then scored on a single to left by Cooper. In the fourth, Blake Smith singled through the left side right after fouling a pitch off his leg. He then moved to second on a Ryan Hanlon single and scored on Michael Brady’s single to right.

The Golden Bears scored their fifth run in the seventh with a home run by Korbernus to left off K-State reliever Lance Hoge, who threw effectively over two innings as he allowed just the one run on two hits.

Kansas State will continue play in California Saturday as the Wildcats travel south to Santa Clara to take on the Broncos in a day-night doubleheader. First pitch has been moved up one hour and will begin at 2 p.m. (CT).