COLUMBIA, MO. Missouri broke a 5-5 tie in the fifth as three costly Kansas State errors led to four unearned runs as the Tigers snapped the Wildcats’ 16-game winning streak with a 9-5 win Saturday at Taylor Stadium. With the loss, Kansas State fell to 17-2 on the season and 1-1 in Big 12 play, while Missouri improved to 14-8 and 4-1.
With the game tied at five in the fifth, Missouri plated four runs to take the lead for good. With one out, Hunter Mense lifted a fly ball to center where K-State’s Tyler Link and Barrett Rice collided with the ball falling to the turf. Then, after a single, Eli Rumler mishandled a would-be double-play feed from Cris Tapia to allow the first run of the inning to cross the plate. The Tigers followed with a sacrifice fly to right and a single to grab a 9-5 lead.
K-State starter Adam Cowart (4-1) lasted just 4.2 innings Saturday and gave up nine runs, four earned, on 11 hits while striking out two and walking none. Missouri’s Travis Wendte moved to 1-1 on the season after throwing 4.1 shutout innings of relief.
Freshman Ben Hornbeck relieved Cowart and threw the final 3.1 innings and allowed no runs on four hits with four walks and two strikeouts.
Missouri opened the scoring with two runs in the second before K-State grabbed a 3-2 lead with three runs in the third. The Cats took advantage of two Mizzou errors in the third as Eddie Vasquez reached on a fielding error by shortstop Gary Arndt. Then, after stealing second, Vasquez moved to third on an errant pickoff attempt and Tyler Link and Brandon Farr each drew walks to load the bases. Jared Goedert then sent a 3-2 offering into the gap in left center to clear the bases to give the Cats their first lead of the day at 3-2.
Mizzou answered with two more in the third to retake the lead at 4-3 on a two-run Hunter Mense single before the Cats answered with two in the fourth to grab a 5-4 advantage. In the fourth, Barrett Rice and Byron Wiley led off with consecutive doubles to tie the game at four and Farr later delivered a two-out single to left to give K-State the lead back at 5-4. The Tigers tied the game in the fourth with one run setting up the pivotal fifth inning.
Wiley led the Wildcats with two hits and an RBI, while Vasquez was 2-for-3 and reached safely in all four at-bats. Joe Roundy finished the day 0-for-5 to snap his 16-game hitting streak.
Kansas State and Missouri wrap up the series Sunday afternoon at Taylor Stadium. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
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