Baseball Falls at No. 9 Texas Friday

AUSTIN, Texas – James Russell held Kansas State in check for eight-plus innings and the Longhorn offense belted three home runs as ninth-ranked Texas opened up a Big 12 Conference series with a 10-3 win over the Wildcats Friday at Disch-Falk Field. With the loss, Kansas State dropped to 17-5 overall and 0-1 in Big 12 play, while Texas improved to 21-7 and 4-0 in league play.

Russell improved to 5-2 on the season for the Horns after tossing a gem on Friday, giving up just three runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts. The junior had given up just two hits heading into the ninth inning until the Wildcats broke through for three runs on four hits.

The Cats, down 10-0, got on the board in the ninth as Rob Vaughn walked and Derek Bunker singled. Then, with one out, Drew Biery and Byron Wiley collected back-to-back RBI singles to give the Cats their first runs of the game and chase Russell from the game.

Eli Rumler followed with an infield single off reliever Pat McCrory to plate another run as the Wildcats got to within 10-3. But, pinch hitter Justin Bloxom struck out to end the game, leaving runners at second and third.

Texas broke open a 1-0 game in the fifth with five runs on just three hits but two of the hits came by way of homers from Preston Clark and Bradley Suttle. Suttle’s was a three-run blast off Hutt with two outs as the Horns opened up a 6-0 lead after five innings. All three runs that scored by way of the homer were unearned after a Nate Tenbrink error prolonged the inning.

Hutt, who suffered his first loss of the season, moved to 5-1 on the season and finished the game with six runs surrendered, three of which were earned, in 4.2 innings after allowing seven hits and four walks. Tyler Ruch relieved Hutt in the fifth and struck out the first batter he faced and then gave up two runs on three hits in the sixth.

Todd Vogel finished out the game for K-State and tossed the final 2.2 innings, giving up two runs on two hits with two strikeouts.

Rumler provided the only multi-hit game for K-State, while the one-through-five hitters collected all six of the Wildcats hits on Friday. Texas was led by Preston Clark, who had three hits, two RBI and two runs scored on the evening.

K-State and Texas continue play Saturday with a 2 p.m. game at Disch-Falk Field.

– k-statesports.com –