Kansas State University Athletics
Saturday, April 6
Omaha, Neb.
2 p.m.
Kansas State University
13-19
9
at
2
Creighton
15-7
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Kansas State
0
0
4
3
0
1
0
1
0
9
12
0
Creighton
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
2
7
1
Wicks, Spurlin Power Wildcats to 9-2 Win over Creighton
Apr 06, 2019 | Baseball
OMAHA, Neb. – Terrence Spurlin registered four hits, Zach Kokoska homered and drove in three while starting pitcher Jordan Wicks struck out nine over seven innings in K-State's 9-2 victory over Creighton Saturday at TD Ameritrade Park.
K-State (13-19) built a seven-run lead over a two-inning stretch, as the Wildcat offense tallied four in the third inning followed by a three-run fourth. The Wildcats tallied five hits in the two frames, including two RBI singles delivered by Will Brennan.
"I'm happy for those guys," head coach Pete Hughes said after the game. "There's nothing worse when an offense starts pressing. I don't want those guys to press, those guys can hit. They practice and prepare too hard to not enjoy game time. It was positive to get a couple hits early and get everyone going, but it all starts with getting a bunt down. We got our bunt down with Jordan Maxson and that helped build a big inning and took pressure off everyone.
"Bottom line is you get good starting pitching, get your bunts down, keep your walks at a minimum and you don't make errors you win games."
The Wildcats snapped a three-game losing skid with their highest run total in their last 17 games, dating back to a 9-6 win over Northern Illinois on March 12. Creighton (15-7) dropped its second game in its last 10 overall.
Spurlin's four-hit game marked a career high, as the sophomore had a double and drove in a run. Brennan went 2-for-5 with two RBI, marking the 50th multi-hit game of his career.
Wicks matched his career highs with seven innings tossed and nine strikeouts. The freshman lefty earned his fourth victory of the season after scattering six hits with one walk and yielding two earned runs.
"I thought he was awesome," Hughes said of Wicks. "That's a good offense over there. He competed in big situations for us. It wasn't an easy outing for him – the lead runner was on base in the first three or four innings – and you've got to bear down and make pitches out of the stretch. He did that. He mixed up his changeup and was able to throw his fastball on the inside part of the plate."
K-State put up four runs in the third, picking up RBI singles from Brennan and Spurlin. Thomas Hughes also produced a run with a groundout and Kokoska induced a bases-loaded walk to cap the scoring for the Wildcats.
A three-run fourth extended the Cats' lead to seven runs. Four straight hitters reached safely in the frame, including Brennan's second RBI single of the game along with an RBI double by Chris Ceballos. Kokoska added a sacrifice fly in the frame.
Creighton got on the board in the bottom half of the fourth, getting a two-out, two-run single from Will Hanafan. The Bluejays had loaded the bases with nobody out against Wicks, and K-State's lefty struck out back-to-back hitters before allowing a single to Hanafan.
Kokoska lifted a solo home run in the sixth to extend K-State's lead to 8-2. The homer was the sophomore's fourth long ball of the year, equaling the most on the team.
Hughes added an infield single with the bases loaded in the eighth to cap the K-State scoring.
Wildcat relievers Jaxon Passino and Andrew Stratman held the Bluejays scoreless on one hit over the game's final two innings. Each sophomore righty struck out one.
CU starter Denson Hull lasted just 2 1/3 innings after surrendering four earned runs on three hits to go with five walks. Five Bluejay pitchers walked nine with four strikeouts while K-State combined to strike out 11 with only one walk allowed.
K-State hit .304 (7-for-23) with runners on base while Creighton went 2-for-16 (.125).
K-State and Creighton conclude the three-game set Sunday at 12 p.m. Live video coverage is available at GoCreighton.com with radio coverage available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM). Live audio will also stream at K-StateSports.com/watch.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
K-State (13-19) built a seven-run lead over a two-inning stretch, as the Wildcat offense tallied four in the third inning followed by a three-run fourth. The Wildcats tallied five hits in the two frames, including two RBI singles delivered by Will Brennan.
"I'm happy for those guys," head coach Pete Hughes said after the game. "There's nothing worse when an offense starts pressing. I don't want those guys to press, those guys can hit. They practice and prepare too hard to not enjoy game time. It was positive to get a couple hits early and get everyone going, but it all starts with getting a bunt down. We got our bunt down with Jordan Maxson and that helped build a big inning and took pressure off everyone.
"Bottom line is you get good starting pitching, get your bunts down, keep your walks at a minimum and you don't make errors you win games."
The Wildcats snapped a three-game losing skid with their highest run total in their last 17 games, dating back to a 9-6 win over Northern Illinois on March 12. Creighton (15-7) dropped its second game in its last 10 overall.
Spurlin's four-hit game marked a career high, as the sophomore had a double and drove in a run. Brennan went 2-for-5 with two RBI, marking the 50th multi-hit game of his career.
Wicks matched his career highs with seven innings tossed and nine strikeouts. The freshman lefty earned his fourth victory of the season after scattering six hits with one walk and yielding two earned runs.
"I thought he was awesome," Hughes said of Wicks. "That's a good offense over there. He competed in big situations for us. It wasn't an easy outing for him – the lead runner was on base in the first three or four innings – and you've got to bear down and make pitches out of the stretch. He did that. He mixed up his changeup and was able to throw his fastball on the inside part of the plate."
K-State put up four runs in the third, picking up RBI singles from Brennan and Spurlin. Thomas Hughes also produced a run with a groundout and Kokoska induced a bases-loaded walk to cap the scoring for the Wildcats.
A three-run fourth extended the Cats' lead to seven runs. Four straight hitters reached safely in the frame, including Brennan's second RBI single of the game along with an RBI double by Chris Ceballos. Kokoska added a sacrifice fly in the frame.
Creighton got on the board in the bottom half of the fourth, getting a two-out, two-run single from Will Hanafan. The Bluejays had loaded the bases with nobody out against Wicks, and K-State's lefty struck out back-to-back hitters before allowing a single to Hanafan.
Kokoska lifted a solo home run in the sixth to extend K-State's lead to 8-2. The homer was the sophomore's fourth long ball of the year, equaling the most on the team.
Hughes added an infield single with the bases loaded in the eighth to cap the K-State scoring.
Wildcat relievers Jaxon Passino and Andrew Stratman held the Bluejays scoreless on one hit over the game's final two innings. Each sophomore righty struck out one.
CU starter Denson Hull lasted just 2 1/3 innings after surrendering four earned runs on three hits to go with five walks. Five Bluejay pitchers walked nine with four strikeouts while K-State combined to strike out 11 with only one walk allowed.
K-State hit .304 (7-for-23) with runners on base while Creighton went 2-for-16 (.125).
K-State and Creighton conclude the three-game set Sunday at 12 p.m. Live video coverage is available at GoCreighton.com with radio coverage available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM). Live audio will also stream at K-StateSports.com/watch.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- K-State scored nine runs on 12 hits without an error and left 12 on base.
- Creighton scored two runs on seven hits and committed one error and stranded six baserunners.
- Spurlin had a career-high four hits.
- Wicks equaled his career highs in innings pitched (7) and strikeouts (9).
- Kokoska hit his fourth home run of the season, tying for the team lead.
- Brennan had two hits and drove in two in recording the 50th multi-hit game of his career.
- The Cats' nine runs marked their highest output over their last 17 games, going back to a 9-6 win over Northern Illinois on March 12.
- K-State pitchers struck out 11 and walked one while CU issued nine walks with four strikeouts.
- K-State hit .304 (7-for-23) with runners on base while Creighton went 2-for-16 (.125).
- K-State leads the all-time series 52-43-1
- The Wildcats are now 14-22 on the road vs. Creighton.
- K-State snapped a four-game losing streak to Creighton and won for the first time in Omaha since 2014.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Wicks, Jordan (4-1)
L: Denson Hull (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Ceballos, Chris 1 ; Spurlin, Terrence 1
HR: Kokoska, Zach 1
RBI: Brennan, Will 2 ; Ceballos, Chris 1 ; Kokoska, Zach 3 ; Spurlin, Terrence 1 ; Hughes, Thomas 2
SH: Maxson, Jordan 1
SF: Kokoska, Zach 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Phillips, Dylan 1 ; Maxson, Jordan 1 ; Thompson, Cameron 2 ; Brennan, Will 2 ; Ceballos, Chris 2 ; Kokoska, Zach 1
SB: Phillips, Dylan 1 ; Spurlin, Terrence 1
HBP: Ausmus, Rainer 1
Batting:
2B: Evan Spry 1
RBI: Will Hanafan 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Jake Holton 1 ; Jack Strunc 1
HBP: Jordan Hovey 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
0
H
4
RBI
1
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF/LHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF/LHP
/ BaseballC
/ Baseball
INF/RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
LHP
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