Cats’ Winning Streak Snapped by EIU, 6-5

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Down six runs through four and a half innings, K-State battled to score five unanswered runs behind a three-run home run from Kamron Willman before falling to Eastern Illinois at Tointon Family Stadium Saturday, 6-5.

Willman's homer in the fifth inning marked the Wildcats' first hit of the game off EIU starter Trevor Nicholson. K-State (6-3) added runs in the sixth and seventh innings before the potential game-tying run reached base in the ninth.

The Cats' five-game winning streak was ended as the teams split the first two games of the three-game series.

"You dig your hole early in the game, all those runs add up," head coach Pete Hughes said. "You have to try and figure out how to fight your way back, and our guys did a great job fighting their way back. They showed a lot of character, but we want to learn our lessons around here winning not losing.

"When we are at home trying to win a series, we have to jump on the other team and get the lead. Credit to Eastern Illinois because they did that today. They hung on, made some big pitches and got some two-out hits and we didn't."

Wildcat starter Carson Seymour retired the first six Eastern Illinois (6-5) hitters he saw, but the Panthers got a two-run home run from Ben Snapp and an RBI single by Trey Sweeney in a three-run third inning.

Dalton Doyle led off the fourth with a solo shot and EIU plated a pair of unearned runs in the fifth to push its lead to 6-0. Seymour's day ended after the fifth inning, as the right-hander allowed six runs (three earned) on six hits while striking out two.

Kasey Ford logged final four scoreless frames for the Wildcats, allowing his team a chance to eat at the deficit. Ford yielded just one hit without allowing a walk to go with a strikeout in his relief effort.

"Kasey Ford, I thought he was awesome compared to his last outing," added Hughes. "He made the adjustments he needed to make. He competed like crazy on both sides of the plate and a heavy sink on his two-seam. He went right at them. He gave us the chance to win that thing the last couple innings, and we just couldn't do it for him."

Chris Ceballos and Daniel Carinci worked consecutive walks off Nicholson in the fifth ahead of Willman's first home run of the year.

Dylan Phillips lifted a sacrifice fly in the sixth to score Zach Kokoska, who led off the inning with a single. Kokoska brought home Cameron Thompson with a sacrifice fly of his own after Thompson doubled earlier in the frame.

Carinci represented the game-tying run after he led off the ninth inning with a single. EIU reliever Alex Stevenson struck out the next three Wildcats he saw to end the comeback and collect his second save of the year.

Stevenson struck out seven in his four innings of relief, as he struck out the side in both the eighth and ninth innings.

Nicholson picked up his second victory of the season after allowing one hit and striking out seven over five innings. Nicholson and Stevenson combined for 14 strikeouts and five walks.

K-State was held hitless with two outs (0-for-8).

Phillips pushed his career-long on-base streak to 20 games, going back to last season. Thompson, who went 1-for-5, extended his on-base streak to 14 games. Phillips, Thompson and Willman have all reached base safely in all nine games this season.

The series rubber match Sunday has sold out and is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start at Tointon Family Stadium. Sunday's game will be broadcast on 12 Now on ESPN+ with free, live audio at K-StateSports.com/watch.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

K-State scored five runs on six hits with two errors and five left on base.
Eastern Illinois scored six runs on seven hits with no errors and two left on base.
Willman hit his first homer of the year and second of his career.
Willman's three-run homer in the fifth inning was K-State's first hit of the day.
Kokoska and Phillips also drove in runs for K-State.
K-State had two extra-base hits on the day.
K-State went 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position and 0-for-8 with two outs.
K-State struck out 14 times in the loss.
Seymour allowed six runs (three earned) on six hits with a pair of walks and strikeouts in five innings of work.
Seymour dropped to 1-1 on the year.
Ford worked the final four innings, allowing just one hit with a strikeout.

NOTES

K-State leads the all-time series with Eastern Illinois, 9-1.
Thompson made his 193^rd consecutive start for the Wildcats (ninth all-time).
Phillips, Thompson and Willman have reached base in all nine games this year.
Phillips is on a 20-game on-base streak and Thompson is on a 14-game on-base streak dating back to last season.
Goodwin has hits in seven of nine games this season.
K-State suffered its first home loss of the season and saw its five-game winning streak end.

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Team Stats

Cameron Thompson

Cole Johnson

Zach Kokoska

Nick Goodwin

Players Mentioned

Daniel Carinci

Chris Ceballos

Kasey Ford

Zach Kokoska

Dylan Phillips

Carson Seymour

Cameron Thompson

Kamron Willman

Players Mentioned

Daniel Carinci

Chris Ceballos

Kasey Ford

Zach Kokoska

Dylan Phillips

Carson Seymour

Cameron Thompson

Kamron Willman

Kansas State University Athletics