Kansas State Shuts Out Rival Kansas, 5-0

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas State pitchers Brad Hutt and Thomas Rooke combined to shut out Kansas on seven hits, while Nate Tenbrink recorded a two-out, two-RBI single in the sixth inning to put the Jayhawks away as Kansas State took game one of the three-game series, 5-0, Friday evening at Hoglund Ballpark.

With the win, Kansas State improved to 25-27 overall and 9-16 in Big 12 play, needing just one win in the next two games to qualify for the Big 12 Championship in Oklahoma City, Okla. Kansas fell to 30-25 overall and 9-16 in conference action.

The shutout was the first by the Wildcats over the Jayhawks since a 7-0 victory on April 29, 2005, and also marked the first time this season that Kansas had been shutout.

Hutt (6-4) was magnificent on the night in his 6.2 innings pitched, spraying just six hits, walking three batters and tying his season high with five strikeouts. In his last two road starts, Hutt is now 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA and his performance on the night improved his career record against Kansas to 2-0 and a 2.66 ERA.

Rooke, a candidate for freshman all-American honors, came on to pitch the final 2.2 innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three batters.

Tenbrink and Justin Bloxom led the Wildcats offensively as each recorded multi-hit games. Tenbrink finished the evening 2-for-5 with two RBI in and one run scored. Bloxom, who recorded his team-leading 14th multi-hit game, was 3-for-5, drove in one run and also scored a pair of runs.

The Wildcats put up their first run of the evening in the second inning when Bloxom, who led off the frame with a single, came home on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch by Dane Yelovich to take an early 1-0 lead.

K-State tacked on another two runs in the third with the help of a pair of Kansas errors. Tenbrink started things with a one-out single to left field and then moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt by Kansas starter Nick Czyz (2-7). Bloxom then drove in Tenbrink with a single up the middle to push the Cat lead to 2-0.

Jason King was next and hit a deep fly ball to center field, but Jayhawk center fielder Nick Faunce dropped the ball, allowing Bloxom to move to third and advancing King to second. Drew Biery followed with a single to center field to score Bloxom and make the score 3-0.

Kansas threatened in the bottom of the fifth as the Jayhawks had runners on first and second with just one out. However, Hutt battled back to strike out John Allman and Buck Afenir – his fourth and fifth strike outs of the evening – to end the scoring chance.

The Kansas State bats immediately answered Hutt’s performance as the Cats plated two runs the next half inning to put the game away. Rob Vaughn hit a leadoff single to left center field and was followed by a bunt single by Yelovich, which would be the end of Czyz’s night. Hiarali Garcia came in to strike out Brett Scott, but Tenbrink followed with a two-RBI single to right, pushing K-State to the 5-0 lead.

The Jayhawks chased Hutt from the game in the bottom of the seventh after a single and a walk to put runners on first and second with just one out. Rooke came into the game and fanned Robby Price, but walked Allman to load the bases. However, Rooke came back to strike out Afenir, leaving the bases loaded and keeping Kansas off the board.

Rooke faced the minimum the final two innings as he gave a one-out single in the ninth, but forced a double-play to end the game.

Kansas State continues its three-game conference series against Kansas on Saturday, which is Senior Night in Manhattan. First pitch from Tointon Family Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m.