Kansas State University Athletics
Saturday, April 24
Manhattan, KS
4 p.m.
Kansas State University
22-16, 5-9
5
vs
2
West Virginia
15-17, 6-8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
West Virginia
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
2
4
4
K-State
0
1
0
4
0
0
0
0
X
5
7
2
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Photo by: Scott D. Weaver / K-State Athletics
Cats Even Series Behind McCullough’s Gem, Spurlin’s Homer
Apr 24, 2021 | Baseball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State starter Connor McCullough surrendered just one hit in seven innings and Terrence Spurlin lifted a three-run home run as the Wildcats evened their weekend series with West Virginia, winning 5-2 Saturday at Tointon Family Stadium.
McCullough sat down 16 of the first 17 hitters he saw, as he carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning. The redshirt freshman right-hander struck out eight without issuing a walk in equaling his career-long outing.
K-State (22-16, 5-9 Big 12) put up four runs in the fourth inning, highlighted by Spurlin's three-run homer. The Wildcats took advantage of two walks and a hit batter in the inning from WVU starter Jake Carr.
"We parlayed the big inning today. It gave us some breathing room, but when you have a quality start like we had from Connor (McCullough), it allows you to have some time to pick that inning," said head coach Pete Hughes. "Everything begins and ends with a quality start, and if you get one like that, especially to get us back in a series, that was the story of the day."
The only WVU baserunner to reach in the game's first five frames came on a Wildcat error. The lone run McCullough allowed came via a sacrifice fly by Mikey Kluska to score Braden Barry, who reached after being hit by a pitch in the sixth.
"When he throws his breaking ball and slider for strikes and then when he can move the slider across the plate and put it in chase locations, that's when he's really good," Hughes said of his starter. "I saw some life in his arm. He had a quick arm today. I can tell right away when he has his stuff. I can see it in his face."
"Yeah, 100 percent that was by far my best start," said McCullough. "I haven't been able to have all pitches working like that all year. It clicked today and when it's like that, it makes life a lot easier."
McCullough turned in his third quality start of the season and the sixth of his career. It marked his fourth seven-inning start of his career and third this year.
Kamron Willman handed McCullough a 1-0 lead with a two-out RBI single in the second inning, scoring Caleb Littlejim who reached base on the first of three WVU errors in the inning.
Spurlin and Willman each finished the day 2-for-4, with Willman tripling in the fourth inning. Cameron Thompson added K-State's third multi-hit effort, going 2-for-4 with a walk.
Zach Kokoska's seventh-inning double accounted for the Cats' third extra-base hit. Kokoska pushed his on-base streak to 34 games, a career-long stretch.
In relief of McCullough, Tyler Eckberg tossed two innings with one earned run on three hits to go with two strikeouts. Eckberg and McCullough teamed up for 10 strikeouts and zero walks.
The duo limited WVU (15-17, 6-8 Big 12) without a hit with two outs (0-for-8) and 1-for-7 (.143) with runners in scoring position.
No Mountaineer produced a multi-hit game, while Dominic Ragazzo's eighth-inning double marked West Virginia's only extra-base hit of the day.
Carr took the loss for WVU after being tagged for five runs (three earned) on four hits over 3 1/3 innings. Carr walked two and struck out three.
K-State and West Virginia finish the series Sunday at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. Radio coverage will be available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) with live, free audio streaming at K-StateSports.com/watch.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
McCullough sat down 16 of the first 17 hitters he saw, as he carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning. The redshirt freshman right-hander struck out eight without issuing a walk in equaling his career-long outing.
K-State (22-16, 5-9 Big 12) put up four runs in the fourth inning, highlighted by Spurlin's three-run homer. The Wildcats took advantage of two walks and a hit batter in the inning from WVU starter Jake Carr.
"We parlayed the big inning today. It gave us some breathing room, but when you have a quality start like we had from Connor (McCullough), it allows you to have some time to pick that inning," said head coach Pete Hughes. "Everything begins and ends with a quality start, and if you get one like that, especially to get us back in a series, that was the story of the day."
The only WVU baserunner to reach in the game's first five frames came on a Wildcat error. The lone run McCullough allowed came via a sacrifice fly by Mikey Kluska to score Braden Barry, who reached after being hit by a pitch in the sixth.
"When he throws his breaking ball and slider for strikes and then when he can move the slider across the plate and put it in chase locations, that's when he's really good," Hughes said of his starter. "I saw some life in his arm. He had a quick arm today. I can tell right away when he has his stuff. I can see it in his face."
"Yeah, 100 percent that was by far my best start," said McCullough. "I haven't been able to have all pitches working like that all year. It clicked today and when it's like that, it makes life a lot easier."
McCullough turned in his third quality start of the season and the sixth of his career. It marked his fourth seven-inning start of his career and third this year.
Kamron Willman handed McCullough a 1-0 lead with a two-out RBI single in the second inning, scoring Caleb Littlejim who reached base on the first of three WVU errors in the inning.
Spurlin and Willman each finished the day 2-for-4, with Willman tripling in the fourth inning. Cameron Thompson added K-State's third multi-hit effort, going 2-for-4 with a walk.
Zach Kokoska's seventh-inning double accounted for the Cats' third extra-base hit. Kokoska pushed his on-base streak to 34 games, a career-long stretch.
In relief of McCullough, Tyler Eckberg tossed two innings with one earned run on three hits to go with two strikeouts. Eckberg and McCullough teamed up for 10 strikeouts and zero walks.
The duo limited WVU (15-17, 6-8 Big 12) without a hit with two outs (0-for-8) and 1-for-7 (.143) with runners in scoring position.
No Mountaineer produced a multi-hit game, while Dominic Ragazzo's eighth-inning double marked West Virginia's only extra-base hit of the day.
Carr took the loss for WVU after being tagged for five runs (three earned) on four hits over 3 1/3 innings. Carr walked two and struck out three.
K-State and West Virginia finish the series Sunday at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. Radio coverage will be available on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM) with live, free audio streaming at K-StateSports.com/watch.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- K-State scored five runs on seven hits with two errors and eight left on base.
- West Virginia scored two runs on four hits with four errors and four left on base.
- Spurlin hit his second homer of the season and 11th of his career.
- McCullough improved to 3-2 with the win and tied his career-high with seven innings.
- McCullough allowed just one run and one infield hit with eight strikeouts.
- McCullough carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning.
- Eckberg worked the final two innings, allowing one run and three hits with two strikeouts.
- Spurlin, Thompson and Willman all had two-hit days for K-State.
- Spurlin drove in three and Willman drove in one run.
- The Cats had three extra-base hits.
- K-State was 3-for-14 with runners on, 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and 2-for-11 with two outs.
- WVU went hitless with two outs (0-for-8).
- Thompson made his 222nd consecutive start and is second in career starts in K-State history.
- K-State has 53 homers on the year, which is second in the Big 12.
- The 53 home runs are tied for seventh-most in a single season in program history.
- K-State has homered in 15 of its last 16 games.
- Kokoska has a career-best on-base streak of 34 games.
- West Virginia leads the all-time series, 13-10 (13-10 Big 12).
- The series is tied 7-7 in games played in Manhattan.
Cats Win 😼#KStateBSB pic.twitter.com/vdsL5MdBKM
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) April 24, 2021
.@connormcc22 is on 🔥
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) April 24, 2021
📊 6 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 7 K's #KStateBSB 5 - WVU 1 | Top 7 pic.twitter.com/k1lTLNmtef
Welcome back, Terry Spurlin! 🚀#KStateBSB 5 - WVU 0 | Bot 4 pic.twitter.com/2CX3d8yDEy
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) April 24, 2021
McCullough w/ 5 strikeouts in last 2 innings #KStateBSB 1 - WVU 0 | Bot 4 pic.twitter.com/3CJhRz5tOe
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) April 24, 2021
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: McCullough, Connor (3-2)
L: Carr, Jake (1-3)
Batting:
2B: Ragazzo, Dominic 1
RBI: Kluska, Mikey 1
SF: Kluska, Mikey 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Byorick, Hudson 1 ; Barry, Braden 1
SB: Doanes, Tyler 1
HBP: McCormick, Matt 1 ; Barry, Braden 1
Batting:
2B: Kokoska, Zach 1
3B: Willman, Kamron 1
HR: Spurlin, Terrence 1
RBI: Spurlin, Terrence 3 ; Willman, Kamron 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ceballos, Chris 1 ; Kokoska, Zach 1 ; Spurlin, Terrence 1 ; Littlejim, Caleb 1 ; Willman, Kamron 1
SB: Littlejim, Caleb 1
CS: Thompson, Cameron 1
HBP: Caplinger, Dylan 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
RHP/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballINF
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