Wildcats Drop Finale to Centenary, 4-1

SHREVEPORT, La. – Kansas State came up a little short in making it a perfect weekend in Shreveport as Centenary held the Wildcats to one run Sunday in a 4-1 loss at Sheehee Stadium. The Wildcats (3-1) finished the weekend with the best record among the three teams participating, while Centenary improved to 5-6 on the season with the win Sunday.

Starter Justin Murray (0-1) held Centenary in check for three innings as neither team could push any runs across early in the game. The Gents then struck first in the fourth inning as a leadoff walk led to an RBI-groundout and a 1-0 Centenary lead. Murray finished the day with five strikeouts and gave up two runs on six hits with four walks in the losing effort.

K-State’s earliest scoring threat came in the fifth as Rob Vaughn and Derek Bunker each singled with two outs, but Eddie Vasquez’s sharp grounder was snagged up the middle and Bunker was forced out at second to end the inning.

Centenary added another run in the sixth as a one-out single and a wild pitch put a Gent in scoring position, and a single down the line followed to up the margin to 2-0 heading into the final three innings.

K-State finally got on the board in the seventh as Jordan Cruz led off with a double and Eli Rumler was then hit by a pitch. After a Nate Tenbrink sacrifice bunt, Rob Vaughn drove in Cruz with a sacrifice fly to cut the margin to 2-1. The Cats then got a leadoff walk from Eddie Vasquez in the eighth, but after a pop up and a ground out, the senior was thrown out at the plate with two outs after a Tyler Link single to keep the game at 2-1.

Centenary then added two more insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth on two RBI singles to take a 4-1 lead and closer Aaron Bronson retired the Wildcats in order in the ninth to earn his second save.

Gent starter Jeremy Sheehan (2-1) scattered six hits over 7.0 innings while yielding just the one run.

Biery and Link led the Wildcat offense with two hits, while Vaughn drove in the lone run for K-State.

Next action for Kansas State is Friday in Tampa, Fla. The Wildcats open play against Seton Hall Friday at 12 p.m. at the Yankee Player Development Complex.