Indians Outlast Wildcats at Cardinal Classic

BEAUMONT, Texas – Brad Hutt pitched eight solid innings but received minimal run support from the Wildcat offense as Arkansas State defeated Kansas State, 2-1, Thursday in game one of the Cardinal Classic at Vincent-Beck Stadium.

Hutt (0-2) gave up just two runs on six hits and struck out three while walking just one. He faced the minimum in four of his eight innings and was also able to get out of multiple jams with runners on base. But ASU got one run in both the fourth and fifth innings, which was enough to down K-State (0-3) in its first game of a six-game Texas road trip.

Chase Ware picked up the win for the Indians – his first of the season – as he allowed one run on four hits and struck out five batters.

Arkansas State (4-1) threatened early in the first inning as Brandon Eller singled to centerfield and then advanced to second on a ground out. The next batter, Ryan Hudgins, singled to leftfield and Eller tested the arm of Byron Wiley, but Wiley gunned him down at the plate for the final out of the inning.

After two scoreless innings, ASU scratched across the game’s first run in the fourth inning as Eller led off with a double down the left line and advanced to third on a balk by Hutt. He then scored with Hudgins hit a sacrifice fly to left.

K-State came back in the top of the fifth and had a chance to do some damage as Rob Vaughn led off the inning with a walk and Jason King bunted him over to second. Brett Scott followed with a hit-by-pitch to give the Cats runners at first and second with just one out. However, back-to-back foul outs ended the Cats scoring opportunity.

The Indians got another run in the bottom half of the fifth as, with one out, Drew Benes double down the leftfield line and advanced to third on a single by Lawson Hipps. After a Hutt strikeout, Derrick Coleman doubled down the right line to score Benes.

The Cats got on the board in the top of the sixth when Wiley walked on a full-count with one out. Justin Bloxom was next and smashed a 1-2 pitch into right center for a double which allowed Wiley to score from first. K-State opportunity for a big inning was halted as Bloxom was stranded at second and the Wildcats were shut out the rest of the way.

Chris Bullington came in and gave up just one hit in 2.1 innings to hold the Cats and earn his second save of the season.