Kansas State University
University of Texas
Mar 25, 2017 | Baseball
GAME RECAP
0
2
NR
K-STATE
WILDCATS
15-7 (0-1 Big 12)
NR
TEXAS
LONGHORNS
15-10 (1-3 Big 12)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KSU | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| UT | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 2 | 6 | 0 |
- Time of Game: 2:27
- First Pitch: 6:33
- Temperature: 76 F
- Wind: NE 5
- Attendance: 4,208
- ? GAMECENTER
- ? BOX SCORE
AUSTIN, Texas – The Kansas State baseball team was shut out for the first time this season in its Big 12 opener, as K-State dropped a 2-0 pitchers' duel to Texas Friday night at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
Texas sophomore Nolan Kingham went the distance for the Longhorns (15-10, 1-3 Big 12) and allowed just four hits and two walks while striking out five K-State batters. It was the first time the Wildcats have been shut out this season.
K-State (15-7, 0-3) had just one extra-base hit – a Cameron Thompson double in the sixth – and weren't able to advance a runner to third base until the ninth inning, when the Cats had runners on the corners and two outs before Kingham completed the first shutout of his career.
"Tough sledding tonight," head coach Brad Hill said after the game. "I mean, (Nolan) Kingham was bringing it, give him credit. He got ahead in counts early and made it difficult for our hitters to get anything going. That's the kind of pitching we will see in the Big 12, we've got to learn from it and come back better tomorrow."
Wildcat starter Justin Heskett lasted 3 1/3 innings and surrendered five hits and two earned runs and walked a career-high four batters in his Big 12 debut. The junior-college transfer moved to 2-2 on the 2017 season.
Heskett allowed at least one baserunner in each of the four innings in which he appeared as Texas was able to scratch a run across in the third by way of an RBI fielder's choice to break the scoreless tie.
UT's Travis Jones singled to center to score Austin Todd in the fourth inning for the Longhorns' second run and after a walk, the bases were loaded. Heskett then gave way to Nick Jones who induced a double-play ball to get out of the jam. Texas stranded seven baserunners in the first four innings.
Jones threw 1 2/3 innings of perfect baseball and freshman righty Tyler Eckberg finished the final three innings and allowed just one hit and one walk.
In total, the K-State bullpen allowed just two baserunners over the final 4 2/3 innings of the game and, at one point, sat down eight consecutive Longhorn hitters.
"I was pleased with our bullpen tonight," added Hill. "(Nick) Jones came up in a big spot and Tyler (Eckberg) gave us three good innings. They gave us a chance to claw back into it but it just didn't happen for us tonight."
Will Brennan, Josh Ethier and Jake Wodtke accounted for the other three Wildcat hits.
"We'll come back ready tomorrow and hopefully have some better at-bats, get ahead in counts and put some runs on the board," Hill said. "Parker (Rigler) has been great for all season so I feel good head into tomorrow."
The K-State continues its three-game set at Texas on Saturday at 4 p.m. Game two can be seen on the Longhorn Network and streaming on the WatchESPN app. Fans can also listen to K-State baseball on KMAN 1350 AM, 93.3 FM and streaming free at k-statesports.com.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• K-State scored no runs on four hits and committed no errors and left four runners on base. Texas scored two runs on six hits and committed no errors while stranding nine baserunners.
• The teams combined to go 3-for-22 (.136) with runners on base and 1-for-12 (.083) with runners in scoring position.
• K-State got its leadoff man on base in one inning – a Jake Scudder walk in the second.
• Scudder extended his career-long on-base streak to 16 games.
• K-State was 2-for-10 with two outs while Texas was 0-for-7.
• Brennan and Thompson each extended their hitting streaks to five games.
NOTES
• K-State now 16-53-1 all-time series vs. Texas and is 9-28-1 all-time in Austin.
• K-State has not won the opening game of a series with Texas since 2013, which was the last time the Cats won a road series vs. Texas.
• The Wildcats have never swept a series with the Longhorns.
• It was the first time the Cats have been shutout this season and the first loss this season when holding their opponent to two runs or fewer (7-1).
• This was just the second true road game for K-State (1-1).
