K-State Makes It Two Straight In 5-1 Win Over Texas Tech
Apr 19, 2003 | Baseball
April 19, 2003
Manhattan, Kan. - Junior right-handed pitcher Jim Ripley allowed just one run on three hits in seven innings of work to go with a career-high seven strikeouts, as Kansas State earned its second straight win with a 5-1 victory over Texas Tech in a Big 12 Conference game played on a rainy Saturday afternoon at Tointon Family Stadium.
With the win, Kansas State won back-to-back games for the first time since March 16 to improve to 12-24 on the season and 2-12 in Big 12 Conference action. Texas Tech dropped to 23-18 overall in taking the loss and 5-11 in league play. The Wildcats not only earned its first Big 12 series victory of the season, but also collected their first overall series win since sweeping a two-game set from Western Illinois to open the season. K-State earned the season series over Texas Tech for the second straight season and has now won six of the last eight games against the Raiders.
The Kansas State pitching staff, which was one of the main problems during the 16-game losing streak, allowed a season-low one run on just five hits, the second-lowest number of hits this season allowed behind the four to Rider on March 19.
Kansas State jumped on the scoreboard first in the bottom of the first inning, as junior second baseman Marc Chabot scored from third base on a groundout by senior first baseman Tim Doty. Chabot drew a one-out walk to start things off then moved around to third on a single by senior outfielder Pat Maloney.
Each team's starter kept the offenses off-balance, holding the game at 1-0 through six innings. However, Texas Tech finally got to Ripley in the top of the seventh, as junior second baseman Josh Haney singled up the middle after two fly-outs. Junior shortstop T.J. Bruce followed with a double to left-center field to score Haney and tie the game at 1-all.
Kansas State broke the tie in the bottom of the inning with two runs on two hits and an error. Junior third baseman Zack Saunders drew a walk on five pitched then scored on a single by junior outfielder Brian Patty followed by an error by the right fielder. With Patty on second base, Blunt singled to center field to give the Wildcats a 3-1 lead.
Kansas State added two more insurance runs in the eighth inning on two runs, as Doty walked then scored on senior catcher Ryan Baldwin's sixth home run of the season to left field.
Blunt, Maloney and Baldwin each had two hits to lead the Kansas State offensive attack, while Baldwin added a team-best two RBIs.
Haney went 2-for-4 with run scored to pace Texas Tech, while Bruce had team's lone RBI.
Ripley (3-4), who earned his first win since March 14 over Florida International, recorded both his longest outing of the season and the longest by a Wildcat starter this season with his seven-inning performance. Ripley, who threw 102 pitches, including 65 strikes, allowed just one hit and four total baserunners in the first six innings.
Redshirt sophomore Eric Rollins collected his team-leading fourth save in relief of Ripley, as he allowed just two hits in two shutout innings with one strikeout. Rollins picked up the win in last night's streak-ending win over the Red Raiders.
Senior right-handed pitcher Nathan Fouts (3-4) was handed the loss for Texas Tech, as he allowed four earned runs (five total) on nine hits in 7-1/3 innings pitched with six strikeouts and four walks. Fouts threw an amazing 147 pitches in the near-complete game.
Kansas State concludes its three-game series with Texas Tech on Sunday with first pitch set for 1 p.m. at Tointon Stadium.
