Baseball Drops Second Straight to No. 9 Texas

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas scored multiple runs in each of the first four innings and Adrian Alaniz had a strong outing as the ninth-ranked Longhorns knocked off Kansas State for the second straight day, 14-3, Saturday afternoon at Disch-Falk Field. With the loss, Kansas State dropped to 17-6 overall and 0-2 in Big 12 play, while Texas improved to 22-7 and 5-0 in league play.

Texas starter Adrian Alaniz (7-1) picked up the win Saturday after going 7.0 strong innings. The junior gave up two hits in the first inning and settled in and retired 18 of the next 20 hitters he faced until being relieved in the eighth. Alaniz finished with six strikeouts and one walk while allowing just three total hits.

K-State had a chance to score the game’s first run in the top of the first as Derek Bunker and Drew Biery each singled to put runners on first and second with one out. But, Biery was then picked off first and Byron Wiley struck out to end the threat, leaving Bunker at third.

Texas opened the bottom of the first with four straight hits to take a 2-0 lead, but starter Chase Bayuk settled in and got a pop up, a strikeout and a fly out to end the threat. But, the Longhorns answered back with three more runs in the second on two hits and three walks to up their lead to 5-0.

The Longhorns, who had 10 extra-base hits and 17 total on the day, added three more in the third, two in the fourth, one in the fifth and three more in the eighth to take a 14-0 lead.

K-State, much like Friday night’s game, got on the board in the top of the ninth as Biery’s two-run single up the middle plated Bunker and Eddie Vasquez to make the score 14-2. Biery then advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt and J.J. Muse drove him in with a sacrifice fly to center to give the Cats their third run of the inning.

Bayuk (2-1) was saddled with his first loss of the season on Saturday after giving up seven runs on eight hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 2.1 innings. A.J. Morris relieved Bayuk and tossed 3.0 innings and surrendered four runs on seven hits with four walks and two strikeouts.

Scott Bachman came in and tossed 2.2 solid innings, yielding three runs on two hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

Bunker paced the Wildcats at the plate, going 3-for-4, as the junior recorded three of the Wildcats’ six hits on the day. Biery also had two hits with two RBI and one run scored.

Kansas State and Texas will wrap up the three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m. Due to the K-State WNIT basketball game broadcast, Sunday’s baseball game will air on a tape-delayed basis at 7 p.m. on Sunday on SportsRadio 1350 KMAN.

– k-statesports.com –