Tuesday, April 17
Lincoln, Neb.
6:30 p.m.
Kansas State University
16-21
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at
3
Nebraska
16-18
1
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4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Kansas State
0
1
2
1
0
0
0
0
0
4
8
0
Nebraska
0
0
2
0
1
0
0
0
0
3
5
2
Cats Get Back on Track at Nebraska
Apr 17, 2018 | Baseball
LINCOLN, Neb. – Sophomore Will Brennan got two hits and an RBI to go with two perfect innings on the mound in his first career start, helping Kansas State snap its season-long nine-game losing streak with a 4-3 win over Nebraska Tuesday night at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.
K-State (16-21) got two hits and two RBI from Cameron Thompson and the bullpen held Nebraska (16-18) scoreless over the final four innings to preserve the Wildcats' first win since March 30. The Cats snap a four-game skid to the Cornhuskers.
"Feels great," head coach Brad Hill said after his team's win. "It's been a bit of a rough go but really happy for the kids. Proud of them tonight for hanging in there and doing what we had to do. Pitchers lined up and got enough for us tonight."
Brennan retired all six batters he faced in his two innings of work, picking up three strikeouts. The sophomore lefty collected the first victory of his career in his fourth appearance of the season.
"That was big" Hill said of Brennan's performance. "We know we are going to have to have somebody step up with three guys on the shelf right now. We are going to have to have other guys step up. He got us off to a great start and set the tone for us tonight."
Quinton Potter and Alex Belch combined to keep the Huskers off the scoreboard after the fifth inning, as Belch recorded the final eight outs for his first career save. Belch did now allow a hit over 2 2/3 innings as he kept the Wildcats' one-run lead intact.
"He's going to be a guy for us," said Hill of Belch. "He closed it down for us tonight, really proud of him, Last week he gave up the homer against [Nebraska] and comes back tonight and does a great job."
Brennan, Thompson and Dylan Watts each turned in two hits to lead the K-State offense. Thompson recorded the Cats' lone extra-base hit, an RBI double in the third.
Brennan helped his own cause in the second inning, as he came through with a two-out single that scored Jordan Maxson for a 1-0 lead. Maxson led off the inning with a single and later moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Rainer Ausmus.
The Cats added two more to their lead in the top of the third via Thompson's double and he would later score on a groundout by Drew Mount.
Hudson Treu relieved Brennan to begin the third and allowed two Nebraska runs that made it a 3-2 game after three innings. Mojo Hagge and Jesse Wilkening each delivered RBI singles in the inning off Treu that brought the Huskers within a run.
K-State got one run back in the next half inning courtesy of Thompson's second RBI, an infield single that scored Watts. Watts singled with one out earlier in the frame.
Wilkening's second RBI, a two-out double off Jaxon Passino, again cut the Wildcats' lead to a run at 4-3. The Huskers got two hits and a walk off Passino, who went 1 2/3 innings.
Hagge and Wilkening each had two hits and combined for four of the Huskers' five hits in the game. Wilkening had a team-high two RBI.
Nebraska starter Matt Warren suffered the loss after two innings and yielding three runs on three hits with two walks.
Huskers reliever Mike Waldron retired all nine Wildcats he faced over the final three innings, picking up two strikeouts.
The Wildcats begin the second half of their Big 12 schedule Friday with a trip to Morgantown, West Virginia, to face the West Virginia Mountaineers (16-17, 2-7 Big 12). Fans can listen to the entire three-game series live on KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) and streaming live on kstatesports.com.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
K-State (16-21) got two hits and two RBI from Cameron Thompson and the bullpen held Nebraska (16-18) scoreless over the final four innings to preserve the Wildcats' first win since March 30. The Cats snap a four-game skid to the Cornhuskers.
"Feels great," head coach Brad Hill said after his team's win. "It's been a bit of a rough go but really happy for the kids. Proud of them tonight for hanging in there and doing what we had to do. Pitchers lined up and got enough for us tonight."
Brennan retired all six batters he faced in his two innings of work, picking up three strikeouts. The sophomore lefty collected the first victory of his career in his fourth appearance of the season.
"That was big" Hill said of Brennan's performance. "We know we are going to have to have somebody step up with three guys on the shelf right now. We are going to have to have other guys step up. He got us off to a great start and set the tone for us tonight."
Quinton Potter and Alex Belch combined to keep the Huskers off the scoreboard after the fifth inning, as Belch recorded the final eight outs for his first career save. Belch did now allow a hit over 2 2/3 innings as he kept the Wildcats' one-run lead intact.
"He's going to be a guy for us," said Hill of Belch. "He closed it down for us tonight, really proud of him, Last week he gave up the homer against [Nebraska] and comes back tonight and does a great job."
Brennan, Thompson and Dylan Watts each turned in two hits to lead the K-State offense. Thompson recorded the Cats' lone extra-base hit, an RBI double in the third.
Brennan helped his own cause in the second inning, as he came through with a two-out single that scored Jordan Maxson for a 1-0 lead. Maxson led off the inning with a single and later moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Rainer Ausmus.
The Cats added two more to their lead in the top of the third via Thompson's double and he would later score on a groundout by Drew Mount.
Hudson Treu relieved Brennan to begin the third and allowed two Nebraska runs that made it a 3-2 game after three innings. Mojo Hagge and Jesse Wilkening each delivered RBI singles in the inning off Treu that brought the Huskers within a run.
K-State got one run back in the next half inning courtesy of Thompson's second RBI, an infield single that scored Watts. Watts singled with one out earlier in the frame.
Wilkening's second RBI, a two-out double off Jaxon Passino, again cut the Wildcats' lead to a run at 4-3. The Huskers got two hits and a walk off Passino, who went 1 2/3 innings.
Hagge and Wilkening each had two hits and combined for four of the Huskers' five hits in the game. Wilkening had a team-high two RBI.
Nebraska starter Matt Warren suffered the loss after two innings and yielding three runs on three hits with two walks.
Huskers reliever Mike Waldron retired all nine Wildcats he faced over the final three innings, picking up two strikeouts.
The Wildcats begin the second half of their Big 12 schedule Friday with a trip to Morgantown, West Virginia, to face the West Virginia Mountaineers (16-17, 2-7 Big 12). Fans can listen to the entire three-game series live on KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) and streaming live on kstatesports.com.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- K-State scored four runs on eight hits without an error and left seven runners on base. Nebraska scored three runs on five hits and committed two errors and stranded eight baserunners.
- Brennan, Thompson and Watts led the Cats with two hits apiece. Thompson had K-State's only extra-base hit, an RBI double in the third inning.
- Five K-State pitchers combined to hold the Huskers to five hits.
- Brennan earned his first career victory in his first start, retiring all six batters he faced.
- Belch earned his first save, tossing the final 2 2/3 innings without allowing a hit or a run.
- Mount stole his 20th base of the season, becoming the first Wildcat to reach 20 steals since Ross Kivett in 2014 (21).
- Nebraska got its leadoff man on base just once in the game.
- Nebraska now leads the all-time series, 172-114.
- K-State snapped a four-game losing streak to Nebraska and a nine-game skid overall.
- The nine-game losing streak was tied for the longest under Hill.
- K-State is now 42-90 all-time in Lincoln.
- The Cats improve to 5-1 in one-run games.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Brennan, Will (1-0)
L: Warren, Matt (3-3)
S: Belch, Alex (1)
Batting:
2B: Thompson, Cameron 1
RBI: Brennan, Will 1 ; Thompson, Cameron 2 ; Mount, Drew 1
SH: Ausmus, Rainer 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Harker, Hanz 1 ; Thompson, Cameron 1 ; Maxson, Jordan 1 ; Watts, Dylan 1
SB: Thompson, Cameron 1 ; Mount, Drew 1
Batting:
2B: Wilkening, Jesse 1
RBI: Hagge, Mojo 1 ; Wilkening, Jesse 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Hagge, Mojo 1 ; Hallmark, Jaxon 1 ; Hellstrom, Gunner 1
SB: Hallmark, Jaxon 1
Game Leaders
p/dh
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
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RHP
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/ Baseball
INF/RHP
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RHP
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RHP
/ BaseballOF
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