Kansas State University
Northwestern State University
Mar 07, 2017 | Baseball
GAME RECAP
4
16
NR
NORTHWESTERN STATE
DEMONS
4-7 (0-0 Southland)
NR
K-STATE
WILDCATS
10-2 (0-0 Big 12)
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSU | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
| KSU | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 | X | 16 | 19 | 1 |
- Time of Game: 3:12
- First Pitch: 3:01
- Temperature: 60 F
- Wind: W 22
- Attendance: 1,417
- ? GAMECENTER
- ? HIGHLIGHTS
- ? BOX SCORE
MANHATTAN, Kan. - The Kansas State baseball team scored 12 unanswered runs over the final four innings Tuesday in a 16-4 victory over Northwestern State at Tointon Family Stadium.
Sophomore catcher Josh Rolette led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a solo home run that broke a 4-4 tie and helped K-State (10-2) score a season-high 16 runs on a season-best 19 hits. Ten different Wildcats recorded a base hit in the Cats' sixth consecutive victory.
"We put some pretty good swings on the ball today," said head coach Brad Hill. "I thought it was a better offensive output, guys put together more than one good at-bat for us. Multiple guys had really good days today. That was good to see, I thought we played hard. We played a solid game today."
Following Rolette's homer, his first of the season, senior second baseman Josh Ethier singled home Hanz Harker to put K-State ahead 6-4 after five innings.
K-State added three more in the sixth courtesy of a Jake Scudder three-run home run, his third homer in the last four games, and opened the gap even further with a seven-run eighth inning that was highlighted by a Kyle Barfield pinch-hit RBI double.
"Those guys coming off the bench did a good job, you never know what can happen," Hill added. "Those guys are ready to go, they came in and got some good swings."
Six different Cats recorded multiple hits in the game, led by Scudder who went 3-for-6 with three RBI. Junior outfielder Hanz Harker posted a career-high three hits and two walks as he reached base in all five plate appearances.
Northwestern State (4-7) scored two runs in the top of the first inning via a sacrifice fly and a bases-loaded walk to take an early 2-0 lead.
The Wildcats responded in the home half after the first four batters – Cameron Thomson, Jake Wodtke, Steve Serratore and Scudder - recorded a base hit to level the score.
Senior Quintin Crandall homered in the third and Thomson's RBI single in the fourth handed K-State a 4-2 lead through four. Crandall has now reached base safely in 20 straight games, dating back to last season.
K-State starting pitcher Colton Kalmus lasted four and 2/3 innings and struck out four, allowed four hits and gave up four earned runs, including two in the top of the fifth that tied the game, 4-4.
From there, the Wildcat bullpen finished the job as Jared Marolf, Nick Jones and Mitch Zubradt combined to allow just one base hit and one walk while striking out six to keep the Demons scoreless over the next four and 1/3 innings.
The 6-3 freshman Marolf recorded his second win of the season and now has 10 punch outs with only one walk issued.
Batting in the leadoff spot for the 10th straight game, Thompson went 2-for-4 with an RBI for his team-leading eighth multi-hit game – twice as many as any other Wildcat.
Serratore had a season-high three hits in five at-bats and scored two runs.
K-State concludes its two-game set with Northwestern State on Wednesday with first pitch slated for 3 p.m. Brian Smoller and Matt Walters will call the game with the Demons that will be broadcast worldwide on K-StateHD.TV with audio streaming free online at k-statesports.com.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• K-State scored 16 runs on 19 hits and committed one error and left nine runners on base. Northwestern State scored four runs on five hits and committed two errors while stranding eight baserunners.
• Six Wildcats had multi-hit days: Thompson, Wodtke, Serratore, Scudder, Crandall and Harker.
• Scudder has three home runs in the last four games.
• Crandall's four homers this year already doubles his 2016 output.
• Crandall and Scudder are tied for the team lead with four home runs.
• K-State hit .452 (19-for-42) in the game, a single-game high this season.
• The Cats got their leadoff hitter on base in seven-of-eight innings.
• The Wildcats hit .389 (7-for-18) with runners in scoring position while NSU was just 1-for-7 (.143).
• Thompson stole a season-high three bases to increase his team-leading total to six.
NOTES
• K-State leveled the all-time series with Northwestern State, 1-1.
• K-State has won its last six games and continues its best start to a season since 2011 when it started 11-2.
• With a homer in the third, Crandall extended his career-long on-base streak to 20 games.
• K-State recorded season highs in hits (19) and runs (16) and have posted double-digit hits and runs in each of its last four games.
• Head coach Brad Hill now has 426 career victories as the Wildcat skipper. He needs just 10 more to become the winningest all-time coach in K-State history.
