K-State Falls to Creighton Wednesday

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State pitchers held Creighton to just four hits, but a two-run first by the Bluejays proved to be the difference as the Wildcats dropped a 3-1 midweek decision to Creighton Wednesday night at Tointon Stadium. The loss dropped the Wildcats to 22-11 on the season, while Creighton moved to 20-11.

K-State could not muster enough offense Wednesday as four Creighton pitchers held the Wildcats to five hits and one run on the night. Starter Casey Schmidt (2-1) picked up the win after scattering three hits over 5.0 shutout innings, before the Cats finally broke through for a run in the eighth inning.

K-State starter A.J. Morris (2-1) was saddled with the loss after giving up two runs in the first. Morris went 3.0 innings Wednesday and gave up two hits, walked two, hit three batters and struck out three.

Creighton jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first as a hit batter, an infield single and a bases-clearing triple off Morris gave the Bluejays the early two-run advantage. An unearned run in the fifth upped the lead to 3-0 for Creighton before Justin Bloxom’s solo homer to right in the eighth, his first collegiate round-tripper, cut the margin to 3-1.

Andy Masten notched his seventh save of the season after pitching a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

The Cats had several scoring opportunities in the game as Eli Rumler led off the third inning with a single and moved to third on a stolen base and a balk with one out. After Rob Vaughn walked, Tyler Link was called out on strikes and Eddie Vasquez flied out to strand Rumler at third.

Vasquez then led off the sixth with a walk and, with one out, stole second. Vasquez then moved to third on Bloxom’s fly out, but Byron Wiley popped up to end the inning. The Cats also put two runners on with one out in the seventh but a strikeout and a fly out again kept the Wildcats off the scoreboard.

Wiley led the offense with two of the five hits, while Muenster, Rumler and Bloxom collected the other safeties on the night. Wiley has now hit safely in eight of his last nine games and has collected multiple hits in 12 games.

K-State relievers Todd Vogel, Justin Murray and Trevor Hurley combined to give up just two hits and one unearned run over the final 6.0 innings, as Hurley led the way with two strikeouts in 2.0 no-hit innings.

Kansas State returns to Big 12 play this weekend as it travels to No. 15 Oklahoma State. First pitch on Friday for game one is set for 6:30 p.m.

– k-statesports.com –