Kansas State University Athletics
Friday, February 16
Myrtle Beach, S.C.
3 p.m.
Kansas State University
0-1
5
vs
12
South Alabama
1-0
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2
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4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
South Alabama
0
1
3
0
0
4
4
0
0
12
18
0
Kansas State
0
2
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
7
2
Cats Unable to Hold on vs. No. 17 South Alabama
Feb 16, 2018 | Baseball
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – K-State starting pitcher Kasey Ford struck out eight South Alabama hitters and catcher TK McWhertor drove in four, including at two-run home run, but the Wildcats were unable to hold onto a one-run lead in its 2018 season-opening loss to the 17th-ranked Jaguars, 12-5, at TicketReturn.com Field on Friday.
K-State (0-1) overcame two deficits in the game's first three inning and held a 5-4 lead through five innings. McWhertor's two-run shot, in his first plate appearance as a Wildcat, gave the Cats a 2-1 lead in the second while his two-out single in the third tied the game at four following South Alabama's (1-0) three-run third inning.
Sophomore Will Brennan's bases-loaded walk capped K-State's three-run third to claim a one-run edge. In the inning, K-State hitters drew three consecutive two-out walks before McWhertor's two-run infield single. Wildcat batters totaled five bases on balls in the inning and eight in the ballgame.
Brennan extended his career-long on-base streak to 24 games, dating back to the end of the 2017 season. McWhertor ended the game 2-for-3 with a run scored.
The Cats held a 5-4 advantage until USA scored eight unanswered runs, plating four runs in both the six and seventh innings for a 12-5 lead. Jaguar relievers combined to throw 6 1/3 scoreless innings after K-State chased USA starter Andy Arguelles after just 2 2/3 innings.
Ford, a 6-foot-6 right-hander, picked up his career-high strikeout total in four innings of work, walking four and allowing four earned runs in a no-decision effort. Sophomore reliever Luke Hauswirth took the loss, going one-plus innings and allowing a pair of earned runs.
In total, K-State utilize five relief pitchers over the game's final five innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) striking out five.
South Alabama opened the scoring in the top of the second with an RBI single by right fielder Andrew Bates. The first four Jaguar hitters in the third reached base, and back-to-back RBI singles by Hunter Stokes and Bates capped the scoring.
Six consecutive USA batters recorded a hit as part of its four-run sixth inning and Jaguar leadoff hitter Dylan Hardy homered in the seventh as part of a four-run seventh.
McWhertor and third baseman Jake Biller were the only Wildcats to collect multiple hits, as Biller went 2-for-2 with a double and a walk. Five of the seven Wildcat base hits came from the Nos. 5-9 spots in the lineup.
The Cats left 11 runners on base and were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. USA left 10 stranded and hit .381 (8-for-21) with runners in scoring position.
K-State continues action at the 19th Annual Brittain Resorts Baseball at the Beach on Saturday, taking on No. 17 Indiana at 11 a.m. CT. Junior-transfer Gabe Littlejim will get the start and make his Wildcat debut. Fans can listen to the game against the Hoosiers free online at k-statesports.com.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
K-State (0-1) overcame two deficits in the game's first three inning and held a 5-4 lead through five innings. McWhertor's two-run shot, in his first plate appearance as a Wildcat, gave the Cats a 2-1 lead in the second while his two-out single in the third tied the game at four following South Alabama's (1-0) three-run third inning.
Sophomore Will Brennan's bases-loaded walk capped K-State's three-run third to claim a one-run edge. In the inning, K-State hitters drew three consecutive two-out walks before McWhertor's two-run infield single. Wildcat batters totaled five bases on balls in the inning and eight in the ballgame.
Brennan extended his career-long on-base streak to 24 games, dating back to the end of the 2017 season. McWhertor ended the game 2-for-3 with a run scored.
The Cats held a 5-4 advantage until USA scored eight unanswered runs, plating four runs in both the six and seventh innings for a 12-5 lead. Jaguar relievers combined to throw 6 1/3 scoreless innings after K-State chased USA starter Andy Arguelles after just 2 2/3 innings.
Ford, a 6-foot-6 right-hander, picked up his career-high strikeout total in four innings of work, walking four and allowing four earned runs in a no-decision effort. Sophomore reliever Luke Hauswirth took the loss, going one-plus innings and allowing a pair of earned runs.
In total, K-State utilize five relief pitchers over the game's final five innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) striking out five.
South Alabama opened the scoring in the top of the second with an RBI single by right fielder Andrew Bates. The first four Jaguar hitters in the third reached base, and back-to-back RBI singles by Hunter Stokes and Bates capped the scoring.
Six consecutive USA batters recorded a hit as part of its four-run sixth inning and Jaguar leadoff hitter Dylan Hardy homered in the seventh as part of a four-run seventh.
McWhertor and third baseman Jake Biller were the only Wildcats to collect multiple hits, as Biller went 2-for-2 with a double and a walk. Five of the seven Wildcat base hits came from the Nos. 5-9 spots in the lineup.
The Cats left 11 runners on base and were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position. USA left 10 stranded and hit .381 (8-for-21) with runners in scoring position.
K-State continues action at the 19th Annual Brittain Resorts Baseball at the Beach on Saturday, taking on No. 17 Indiana at 11 a.m. CT. Junior-transfer Gabe Littlejim will get the start and make his Wildcat debut. Fans can listen to the game against the Hoosiers free online at k-statesports.com.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- K-State scored five runs on seven hits and committed two errors and left 11 runners on base. South Alabama scored 12 runs on 18 hits and without an error while stranding 10 baserunners.
- Brennan extended his career-best on-base streak to 24 games, dating back to last season.
- McWhertor homered in his first plate appearance as a Wildcat and drove in four of the Cats' five runs in the game.
- K-State's leadoff hitter reached base in one of nine innings while USA got its leadoff man on in six innings.
- Three of the Cat's five RBI were with two-outs, all three runs scored in the third.
- USA hit .381 with runners in scoring position while K-State hit .100.
- Eleven total Wildcats made their debuts in the game, eight position players and three hitters, while McWhertor and Dylan Watts collected their first hits.
- Ford picked up career-highs in strikeouts (8) and walks (4).
- This was the first all-time meeting between K-State and South Alabama.
- It marked the first time under head coach Brad Hill that the Wildcats opened the season against a ranked opponent.
- K-State is 9-6 on Opening Day under Hill.
- K-State is now 16-22 against members of the Sun Belt Conference.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Greene, Zach (1-0)
L: Hauswirth, Luke (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Hardy, Dylan 1 ; Russo, Paul 1 ; Donovan, Brendan 1 ; Davis, Wells 1 ; Sandle, Michael 1
HR: Hardy, Dylan 1
RBI: Hardy, Dylan 1 ; Russo, Paul 2 ; Donovan, Brendan 1 ; Davis, Wells 3 ; Stokes, Hunter 1 ; Bates, Andrew 2 ; Sandle, Michael 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hardy, Dylan 2 ; Russo, Paul 2 ; Swaggerty, Travis 3 ; Donovan, Brendan 2 ; Davis, Wells 1 ; Bates, Andrew 1 ; Sandle, Michael 1
SB: Hardy, Dylan 1 ; Bates, Andrew 1
CS: Sandle, Michael 1
Batting:
2B: Biller, Jake 1
HR: McWhertor, TK 1
RBI: Brennan, Will 1 ; McWhertor, TK 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Barfield, Kyle 1 ; McMaster, Trent 2 ; Rule, Connor 1 ; McWhertor, TK 1
SB: Brennan, Will 1 ; Mount, Drew 1 ; Barfield, Kyle 1
HBP: McMaster, Trent 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
4
AB
2
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
ph/2b
AB
1
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ BaseballOF
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RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
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/ BaseballOF
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