Kansas State University Athletics
Sunday, March 17
Manhattan, Kan.
1 p.m.
Kansas State University
10-9
5
vs
6
UTRGV
13-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
UT Rio Grande Valley
2
0
1
0
0
1
1
1
0
6
8
2
K-State
2
2
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
5
8
5
UTRGV Wins Wild Finale with Eighth-Inning Homer
Mar 17, 2019 | Baseball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State's Cameron Thompson and Caleb Littlejim each had multi-hit games and drove in two, but Anthony Gomez's go-ahead solo homer in the top of the eighth inning proved to be the difference in UTRGV's 6-5 win in the series finale Sunday at Tointon Family Stadium.
Gomez's home run capped three unanswered runs scored by UTRGV (13-7) in the comeback victory which saw two lead changes, seven combined errors and a triple play. K-State's (10-9) season-long four-game winning streak came to an end.
"You don't deserve to beat anybody when you have five errors," head coach Pete Hughes said after the game. "We didn't do the right thing by the kids today with the rules and how they're set up for replay. We go from bases loaded with no outs with your cleanup hitter due up, to a triple play. When the kids have done nothing wrong, we didn't do right by the kids today.
"It shouldn't have come down to that. With five errors we didn't deserve to beat anybody or argue about any bad calls or anything else. That was the story of the game."
Three of the Vaqueros runs were unearned due to the Wildcats' season-high five errors. Two unearned runs went against K-State starter Will Brennan in the first inning.
The Cats responded with four runs over the first two innings to take a 4-2 lead and later held a 5-3 lead after five innings. UTRGV plated single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to complete the come-from-behind victory.
Thompson delivered an RBI single in the first to go with a sacrifice fly from Terrence Spurlin. Littlejim accounted for both Wildcat runs with his two-run, two-out double in the second inning.
Thompson went 3-for-4 to turn in his fifth consecutive multi-hit game.
The Vaqueros cut into the Cats' lead with a run in the third. UTRGV sparked the inning with back-to-back singles by Gomez and Conrado Diaz to start the frame.
Thompson's RBI single in the fifth, his second of the game, pushed K-State's lead back to two runs at 5-3.
A third unearned run in the sixth made it a one-run game before Oliver Closner's double in the top of the seventh inning tied the score at 5-5.
The Vaqueros' runs ended a stretch of 24 1/3 scoreless innings thrown by the K-State bullpen.
Gomez hit the game-winning home run with one out in the eighth off reliever Dylan Phillips. Gomez and Diaz each went 2-for-5 to lead UTRGV.
In a no decision, Brennan allowed one earned run on three hits with three strikeouts over four innings.
K-State got four runs (none earned) off UTRGV starting pitcher Jerred Quartier on five hits.
"We'll take a day off and come back on Tuesday and try to get a win," added Hughes.
K-State continues its 10-game homestand on Tuesday, as Canisius visits Tointon Family Stadium for a two-game series starting Tuesday. Both games will stream live on ESPN3 and the ESPN app. Coverage is also available on News Radio 1350 KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) with streaming audio at K-StateSports.com/watch.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Gomez's home run capped three unanswered runs scored by UTRGV (13-7) in the comeback victory which saw two lead changes, seven combined errors and a triple play. K-State's (10-9) season-long four-game winning streak came to an end.
"You don't deserve to beat anybody when you have five errors," head coach Pete Hughes said after the game. "We didn't do the right thing by the kids today with the rules and how they're set up for replay. We go from bases loaded with no outs with your cleanup hitter due up, to a triple play. When the kids have done nothing wrong, we didn't do right by the kids today.
"It shouldn't have come down to that. With five errors we didn't deserve to beat anybody or argue about any bad calls or anything else. That was the story of the game."
Three of the Vaqueros runs were unearned due to the Wildcats' season-high five errors. Two unearned runs went against K-State starter Will Brennan in the first inning.
The Cats responded with four runs over the first two innings to take a 4-2 lead and later held a 5-3 lead after five innings. UTRGV plated single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to complete the come-from-behind victory.
Thompson delivered an RBI single in the first to go with a sacrifice fly from Terrence Spurlin. Littlejim accounted for both Wildcat runs with his two-run, two-out double in the second inning.
Thompson went 3-for-4 to turn in his fifth consecutive multi-hit game.
The Vaqueros cut into the Cats' lead with a run in the third. UTRGV sparked the inning with back-to-back singles by Gomez and Conrado Diaz to start the frame.
Thompson's RBI single in the fifth, his second of the game, pushed K-State's lead back to two runs at 5-3.
A third unearned run in the sixth made it a one-run game before Oliver Closner's double in the top of the seventh inning tied the score at 5-5.
The Vaqueros' runs ended a stretch of 24 1/3 scoreless innings thrown by the K-State bullpen.
Gomez hit the game-winning home run with one out in the eighth off reliever Dylan Phillips. Gomez and Diaz each went 2-for-5 to lead UTRGV.
In a no decision, Brennan allowed one earned run on three hits with three strikeouts over four innings.
K-State got four runs (none earned) off UTRGV starting pitcher Jerred Quartier on five hits.
"We'll take a day off and come back on Tuesday and try to get a win," added Hughes.
K-State continues its 10-game homestand on Tuesday, as Canisius visits Tointon Family Stadium for a two-game series starting Tuesday. Both games will stream live on ESPN3 and the ESPN app. Coverage is also available on News Radio 1350 KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) with streaming audio at K-StateSports.com/watch.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- K-State scored five runs on eight hits and committed five errors with five on base.
- UTRGV scored six runs on eight hits with two errors and left 12 on base.
- Thompson had a game-high three hits for his five consecutive multi-hit game.
- Thompson led the Cats by hitting .583 (7-for-12) in the three-game set.
- Littlejim went 2-for-4 with two RBI.
- K-State's five errors were a season high.
- UTRGV went 3-for-24 (.125) with runners on base in the game and finished the series 5-for-51 (.098).
- The K-State bullpen's scoreless stretch of 24 1/3 innings, going back to the series finale vs. Old Dominion on March 10, came to an end.
- K-State leads the all-time series with UTRGV, 4-2.
- K-State's season-long four-game winning streak was snapped.
- The game saw two video replays in which both calls on the field were overturned.
- The Wildcats have held a lead in 16 of 19 games this season.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Arevalo, Ricky (2-0)
L: Phillips, Dylan (0-1)
S: Jackson, Ryan (4)
Batting:
2B: Diaz, Conrado 1 ; Grubbs, Coleman 1 ; Sepulveda, Christian 1 ; Closner IV, Oliver 1 ; Hirsh, Jacob 1
HR: Gomez, Anthony 1
RBI: Gomez, Anthony 1 ; Diaz, Conrado 1 ; Sepulveda, Christian 1 ; Closner IV, Oliver 1
SH: Grubbs, Coleman 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Atwood, Andy 1 ; Gomez, Anthony 2 ; Diaz, Conrado 1 ; Sepulveda, Christian 1 ; Hirsh, Jacob 1
HBP: Sepulveda, Christian 1 ; Alexander, Elijah 1 ; Galvan, Aaron 1 ; Closner IV, Oliver 1
Batting:
2B: Littlejim, Caleb 1 ; Brennan, Will 1
RBI: Littlejim, Caleb 2 ; Thompson, Cameron 2 ; Spurlin, Terrence 1
SF: Spurlin, Terrence 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Phillips, Dylan 2 ; Brennan, Will 2 ; Hughes, Thomas 1
SB: Thompson, Cameron 2
CS: Thompson, Cameron 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
p/cf
AB
4
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF/LHP
/ BaseballRHP
/ Baseball
OF/LHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballIF/OF
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