Kansas State University Athletics
Monday, February 19
Myrtle Beach, S.C.
12:30 p.m.
Kansas State University
6
vs
5
Virginia Tech
Mount’s First Career Homer Caps K-State’s Comeback
Feb 19, 2018 | Baseball
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Junior centerfielder Drew Mount's three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning capped K-State's 6-5 come-from-behind victory over Virginia Tech Monday afternoon on the final day of the Brittain Resorts Baseball at the Beach at TicketReturn.com Field.
Mount's first career home run, and first hit as a Wildcat, came with two on and two out when K-State (1-3) trailed the Hokies (1-3), 5-3. Earlier in the bottom of the eighth, Will Brennan singled home Brett Owen. Owen reached second base on a throwing error by VT pitcher Andrew McDonald, and after McDonald walked Cameron Thompson, two Wildcats were on base for Mount's clutch hit.
Sophomore righty Tyler Eckberg threw the game's final 2 2/3 innings and was credited with the win. Eckberg struck out four and surrendered four hits and one unearned run.
Virginia Tech's Nick Menken broke a 2-2 tie game in the top of the seventh with a solo shot off Wildcat reliever Hudson Treu, and the Hokies added two more on a squeeze bunt by Stevie Mangrum that was followed by an RBI single from Tom Stoffel.
The Cats had tied the game the previous inning, when junior Rainer Ausmus recorded K-State's first hit of the game with a solo shot of his own. The hit was the junior transfer's first in a Wildcat uniform and broke up a no-hit bid by Hokie starter Ian Seymour. Seymour, a freshman making his first career start, ended with 5 2/3 innings pitched with eight strikeouts while yielding two walks and an earned run.
Seymour's counterpart, K-State starter Quinton Potter, also made his first career start as the freshman from Moorpark, California, made it through five full innings, striking out five and allowing two earned.
The Hokies got their first hit off Potter in the top of the fourth, a single from Sam Fragale. Catcher Luke Horanksi followed that up with a two-run homer to left field that gave VT a 2-1 lead.
K-State scraped across a run in the bottom of the first inning after Brennan reached on an error. Brennan later stole second and moved to third on a groundball by Thompson. A passed ball allowed the sophomore outfielder to scamper home for an early 1-0 lead over.
Brennan's eighth-inning single extended his career-long on-base streak to 27 games, going all the way back to the end of the 2017 season. Brennan was one of five Wildcats to register a base hit in the ballgame. Thompson and Harker also collected single in the game.
McDonald was tagged for the loss and struck out four and allowed four hits and four unearned runs over 2 1/3.
Brogan Heinen tossed a perfect sixth inning of relief in his first outing of the season, striking out two Hokies.
Four Wildcat pitchers combined to strike out 11 batters and limited the Hokies to just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Virginia Tech's Seymour and McDonald combined to fan 12 Cats.
The Wildcats will travel north to Elon, North Carolina, for a Wednesday matinee with the Elon Phoenix (0-3). First pitch is set for 3 p.m. CT, at Walter C. Latham Park. The game can be heard live on KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) and streamed free at k-statesports.com.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Mount's first career home run, and first hit as a Wildcat, came with two on and two out when K-State (1-3) trailed the Hokies (1-3), 5-3. Earlier in the bottom of the eighth, Will Brennan singled home Brett Owen. Owen reached second base on a throwing error by VT pitcher Andrew McDonald, and after McDonald walked Cameron Thompson, two Wildcats were on base for Mount's clutch hit.
Sophomore righty Tyler Eckberg threw the game's final 2 2/3 innings and was credited with the win. Eckberg struck out four and surrendered four hits and one unearned run.
Virginia Tech's Nick Menken broke a 2-2 tie game in the top of the seventh with a solo shot off Wildcat reliever Hudson Treu, and the Hokies added two more on a squeeze bunt by Stevie Mangrum that was followed by an RBI single from Tom Stoffel.
The Cats had tied the game the previous inning, when junior Rainer Ausmus recorded K-State's first hit of the game with a solo shot of his own. The hit was the junior transfer's first in a Wildcat uniform and broke up a no-hit bid by Hokie starter Ian Seymour. Seymour, a freshman making his first career start, ended with 5 2/3 innings pitched with eight strikeouts while yielding two walks and an earned run.
Seymour's counterpart, K-State starter Quinton Potter, also made his first career start as the freshman from Moorpark, California, made it through five full innings, striking out five and allowing two earned.
The Hokies got their first hit off Potter in the top of the fourth, a single from Sam Fragale. Catcher Luke Horanksi followed that up with a two-run homer to left field that gave VT a 2-1 lead.
K-State scraped across a run in the bottom of the first inning after Brennan reached on an error. Brennan later stole second and moved to third on a groundball by Thompson. A passed ball allowed the sophomore outfielder to scamper home for an early 1-0 lead over.
Brennan's eighth-inning single extended his career-long on-base streak to 27 games, going all the way back to the end of the 2017 season. Brennan was one of five Wildcats to register a base hit in the ballgame. Thompson and Harker also collected single in the game.
McDonald was tagged for the loss and struck out four and allowed four hits and four unearned runs over 2 1/3.
Brogan Heinen tossed a perfect sixth inning of relief in his first outing of the season, striking out two Hokies.
Four Wildcat pitchers combined to strike out 11 batters and limited the Hokies to just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. Virginia Tech's Seymour and McDonald combined to fan 12 Cats.
The Wildcats will travel north to Elon, North Carolina, for a Wednesday matinee with the Elon Phoenix (0-3). First pitch is set for 3 p.m. CT, at Walter C. Latham Park. The game can be heard live on KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) and streamed free at k-statesports.com.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- K-State scored six runs on five hits and committed two errors and left two runners on base. Virginia Tech scored five runs on eight hits and with two errors while stranding seven baserunners.
- Brennan extended his career-best on-base streak to 27 games, dating back to last season.
- Ausmus and Mount each collected their first hits and home runs of their respective Wildcat careers.
- Brennan, Thompson and Harker had the Cats' other three hits.
- Wildcat pitchers combined to strike out 11 Hokies while VT pitchers struck out 12 K-State hitters.
- Three of K-State's five hits came with two outs (3-for-11). VT went 5-for-13 with two down.
- The Hokies were .111 (1-for-9) with runners in scoring position while K-State was 2-for-5 (.400).
- Each side got its leadoff man on base twice.
- This was the first meeting between K-State and Virginia Tech since 1989, and the all-time series is now tied 1-1.
- Virginia Tech is coached by John Szefc, who was K-State's associate head coach from 2011-12.
Players Mentioned
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