K-State and Texas Battle to 6-6 Tie

AUSTIN, Texas – Drew Biery’s two-run single in the top of the eighth gave Kansas State a 6-5 lead, but Texas escaped a weekend sweep by plating the tying run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth as the 23^rd-ranked Wildcats and second-ranked Longhorns ended Sunday's game tied 6-6 due to the Big 12 travel rule.

After the dramatic eighth and ninth innings, both teams went down in order in the 10th before the game was called to accommodate Kansas State’s travel plans.

Kansas State now stands at 31-11-1 overall and 10-7-1 in the Big 12 Conference. With the tie, Texas holds a 29-11-1 record overall and a 12-8-1 mark in Big 12 play.

The Wildcats were one strike away from completing a three-game sweep of the Longhorns when Cameron Rupp delivered a pinch-hit double to tie the game at 6-6. Brandon Belt got things going for Texas in the ninth with a one-out double to deep center field off Thomas Rooke, which knocked the left-hander out of the game. Josh Crockett came on in relief and, after inducing a groundout, worked Rupp to a 2-2 count before Rupp produced the clutch hit. Brandon Loy then followed with a single to center, but pinch-runner Jordan Etier was gunned down at the plate by Dane Yelovich to send the game into extra innings.

Each team had plenty of chances to score runs as both the Wildcats and Longhorns each left 10 or more runners on base, including a season-high 14 by K-State.

Three K-State hitters paced the team with two hits, including Biery. He also drove in three runs, including the two in the eighth that allowed the Wildcats to fight back from a 5-4 deficit to take a one-run lead. The Wildcats also stole three bases in the game, finishing the series with 10 stolen bags.

Loy had another impressive game against K-State pitching, going 4-for-5 with two runs scored. Michael Torres, Travis Tucker and Belt each produced two hits.

Unlike the first two games of the series, Kansas State jumped ahead in the second inning when Biery led off the frame with a solo-homer over the left-field wall.

Texas came back in its half of the inning as Torres delivered a two-out single into right field, scoring Loy and tying the game at 1-1. 

The Wildcats took the lead right back in the third when Carter Jurica led off with a walk, stole second base and was driven home on a single by Nick Martini.

In the fourth, Rob Vaughn walked with one out. Following a ground out, Adam Muenster tripled off the wall in right-center field to give the Wildcats a 3-1 lead. The Cats added to their lead with another run in the sixth when Jurica grounded out with the bases loaded to push the score to 4-1.

That lead quickly vanished in the Texas half of the sixth when the Longhorns scored four times. Belt led off the inning with a double off reliever Ryan Daniel, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Kevin Keyes' single.

With runners on first and second, Daniel was lifted for Evan Marshall. Loy beat out a bunt single to load the bases. Preston Clark then hit a chopper to Jurica at second, who flipped the ball to Biery trying to force out Loy at second.  Loy upended Biery with his slide and Biery dropped the ball for an error, allowing two runs to score to give Texas a 5-4 lead.

Kansas State fought back in the eighth inning as Muenster led off with a walk and went to second on a single by Jurica. With one out, Justin Bloxom walked to load the bases. After Jason King fanned for the second out, Biery made up for his error as he laced a single into right field to score Muenster and Jurica, whose slide at home beat the throw from Keyes and gave the Wildcats a 6-5 lead.

Next action for Kansas State is a two-game midweek series against North Dakota, beginning at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday at Tointon Family Stadium.

–  k-statesports.com –