K-State Rallies Past No. 17 Texas Tech, 7-6
May 24, 2002 | Baseball
May 24, 2002
ARLINGTON, Texas - Junior second baseman Brandon Taylor connected on the game-winning RBI with a double down the left field line in the bottom of the eighth inning, as Kansas State rallied from a 5-0 deficit to post a 7-6 victory over 17th-ranked Texas Tech on Friday afternoon at the Ballpark in Arlington. The loss eliminated the Red Raiders from the tournament.
With the win, Kansas State improved to 30-24 on the season, while Texas Tech dropped to 41-18 on the season. The 30-win season is the Wildcats' first since the 1997 season and only the fourth since the 1990 season. The team will now play unbeaten and second-seeded Nebraska at 10 a.m. on Saturday. K-State would have to defeat the Cornhuskers twice to advance to Sunday's championship game.
Texas Tech capitalized on a shaky start by Wildcat starter Jonathan Gutierrez, as three Red Raiders - Jon Slack, Scooter Jordan and Gera Alvarez - walked to lead off the game. After a strikeout and a fielder's choice by Willie Durazo that scored Slack from third base, third baseman Jake Brown connected on the tournament's first grand slam since 2000 with a shot to straight center field to make the score 5-0. After a pitching change to senior left-hander Chad Duckers, the Wildcats got a line out to the shortstop to end the inning.
Kansas State responded in the bottom of the inning with one run on one hit and an error, as outfielder Gabe Luttrell scored from third base on a sacrifice fly by outfielder Pat Maloney. After shortstop Osmar Castillo lead off the inning with a single to left-center then was out on Luttrell's fielder's choice. Luttrell moved to third base on a stolen base and an error on second baseman Bryon Smith.
After a scoreless second inning, Kansas State again picked at the lead as the Wildcats scored two runs on three hits. Third baseman Ty Soto led off the inning with a single to left field followed by a fly-out by first baseman Brett Williams and a walk to catcher Ryan Baldwin. After a pass ball moved the runners to second and third with one out, outfielder Nick Sorensen flied out to right field to score Williams. Second baseman Brandon Taylor then drilled a single up the middle to score Baldwin and close the gap to 5-3. The Wildcats did get a single by Castillo on the next at-bat, but the runners were stranded on outfielder Gabe Luttrell's ground out to the second baseman.
In the fifth inning, Kansas State finally overcame the early five-run deficit on designated hitter Tim Doty's two-run home run to deep right field to tie the score at 5-all. After a pair of ground outs to start the inning, Maloney extended his streak of reaching base to 32 consecutive games with a single to left-center field. Doty's home run was his first of the postseason and his eighth of the season.
Texas Tech regained the lead in the sixth inning, as outfielder Cody Fuller scored from third base on designated hitter Brent Fossum's two-out single to center field. Fuller singled to right field after a couple of fly-ball outs followed by a walk to Brown. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Kansas State had a chance to tie or take the lead with runners on first and third and no out, but the Red Raiders got a strikeout and a double play to end the threat. Williams led off the inning with a walk then stole second before moving to third on a single by Baldwin.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Kansas State again tied the score, this time at 6-all, as Maloney scored from third base on a passed ball. After a pair of strikeouts to start the inning, Maloney singled to center field then moved all the way to third base on a single to right field by Doty. With Doty on second, the Red Raiders decided to walk Soto after a 3-0 start. However, Williams lined out to the pitcher to end the inning.
With the game still tied at 6-all in the eighth, outfielder Nick Sorensen reached on a bunt single down the third base line. Sorensen then stole second base and moved to third on Durazo's third passed ball of the day. Taylor then laced his double down a left field line.
Doty and Taylor had two hits apiece to pace four Wildcats with multiple-hit games, while Maloney posted two runs scored and a RBI to highlight a 2-for-3 afternoon. Williams extended his hitting streak to a career-high 10 games, while Soto and Doty pushed their streak to eight games.
Fuller led the Red Raider offense with his 2-for-3 afternoon, while Brown had a game-high four RBIs.
After gaining the decision in Wednesday's loss to the Red Raiders, junior left-handed Mitch Walter earned the victory, as he allowed no runs on two hits with three strikeouts in 2-1/3 innings of relief. Duckers didn't get the decision, but he was an important part of the victory, as he allowed just one run on three hits in six innings of relief of Gutierrez with one strikeout and two walks.
Texas Tech reliever Matt Harbin dropped to 2-2 on the season, as he allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks in 2-2/3 innings. Starter Dusty Buck allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits with five strikeouts and one walk in five innings of work.
