Monster First Inning Sends Cats to 16-4 Win Over TSU

MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State scored 15 runs in the first inning Friday night, including a grand slam by Chris Ceballos, on its way to winning the series opener against Texas Southern, 16-4, in seven innings at Tointon Family Stadium.

K-State (25-16) brought 20 hitters to the plate in the opening frame, batting around and scoring eight runs before the game's first out was recorded. The Wildcats finished the inning with nine hits, including two from Kamron Willman.

"These games are always a challenge, but you forget and you look past a great first inning against a really good pitcher," said head coach Pete Hughes. "Kam Fields has had success against Kansas State baseball in the past. Really could be considered an elite arm in college baseball, but for us to put pressure on him and get him out of the stretch and work counts and do that right from the get-go.

"Obviously set the tone for the entire game but the challenge is being able to continue to get better and play at a high level when you've extended such a lead. I thought we did a decent job of that. I loved our first inning and I love the fact that we got a lot of guys in our program in the game today who deserve to play. It only helps for our depth in the future looking forward."

Ceballos' first career grand slam came with two outs and followed back-to-back walks issued by Fields. The homer marked the second straight game Ceballos has homered as he has three long balls in his last five contests.
Fields, who threw 73 pitches in his start, walked seven in addition to giving up eight hits in 2/3 of an inning. He suffered the loss after being tagged with 15 runs allowed (nine earned).

Willman picked up a two-run double as part of his two-hit first inning, finishing 2-for-2 with two runs scored.

Dylan Caplinger and Terrence Spurlin each turned in two-RBI singles in the first to go with a Dylan Phillips RBI double. Blake Burrows and Zach Kokoska both tallied an RBI.

Kokoska, Phillips and Willman each had two-hit days to lead K-State while Spurlin drove in three. Nine Wildcats, including eight starters, recorded a hit Friday night.

K-State hit .643 (7-for-14) with runners in scoring position and .400 (4-for-10) with two outs.

Connor McCullough earned the victory, improving his record to 4-2, after allowing two earned runs in four innings in the run-rule shortened contest. McCullough struck out four without a walk and scattered eight hits.

Luke Hauswirth and Josh Flack both logged a scoreless inning of relief. Hauswirth struck out a pair in the fifth.

Texas Southern (10-29) claimed the first lead of the day after Oscar Ponce's single scored Justin Cooper. Cooper led off the game with an infield single off McCullough.

Ponce added an RBI double in the third, as he ended the night 2-for-3 with two RBI.

Cooper drove in a run in the fourth before Nic Garza lifted a solo home run in the sixth. Cooper led all players with three hits, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored.

TSU's Adam Dearinger retired all nine he faced in three innings of relief for the Tigers, striking out four.

K-State and Texas Southern continue the three-game set Saturday at 4 p.m. Game 2 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 16 runs on 12 hits with one error and eight left on base.
Texas Southern scored four runs on 12 hits with two errors and six left on base.
The Cats scored 15 runs on nine hits and sent 20 batters to the plate in the first inning.
K-State scored eight runs before an out was recorded in the first.
Ceballos hit a grand slam, his sixth homer of the year and the 17th of his career.
Spurlin drove in three runs.
Caplinger and Willman each added two RBI.
Burrows, Kokoska, Phillips and Thompson all drove in runs.
Kokoska, Phillips and Willman had two-hit nights.
The Cats had five extra-base hits.
K-State walked nine times, which was one off a season high.
K-State hit .643 (7-for-14) with runners in scoring position and .400 (4-for-10) with two outs.
McCullough (4-2) earned the win after working the first four innings. He allowed three runs and eight hits with four strikeouts.
Hauswirth, Hassall and Flack combined to work the final three innings, allowing one run and three hits with four strikeouts.

NOTES

K-State improved to 20-6 at home this season.
The 20 home wins is the most since K-State had 27 in 2013.
Thompson made his 225th consecutive start and is second in career starts in K-State history.
K-State has won both meetings with Texas Southern.
The Cats are 19-7 in non-conference games this year.
The 15 runs in the first marked the first time the Cats had double-digit runs in an inning since 10 runs against Baylor on May 18, 2017.
K-State has homered in seven straight games and in 18 of its last 19 games overall.
Kokoska extended his career-best on-base streak to 36 games.
Kokoska has hits in 25 of his last 27 games.
K-State's 60 homers are tied for first in the Big 12 (Texas Tech).
The 60 homers are third-most in a single season in program history. Only the 1988 (63) and 1997 (75) teams have had more.

Cats WIn 😼#KStateBSB pic.twitter.com/7EH8BZ3Rsq
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) May 1, 2021

@ChrisCeballas20 hits GRAND SLAM to left 💣

20 batters, 15 runs for the 'Cats#KStateBSB 15 - Texas Southern 1 | Top 2 pic.twitter.com/nRXnw1cAJ0
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) April 30, 2021

Kaden Fowler (@KdenFwlr) with the 🚀 arm from left #KStateBSB 16 - Texas Southern 4 | Bot 6 pic.twitter.com/jmKtcSJuJU
— K-State Baseball (@KStateBSB) May 1, 2021

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Team Stats

Dylan Phillips

Zach Kokoska

Kamron Willman

Blake Burrows

Players Mentioned

Blake Burrows

Dylan Caplinger

Chris Ceballos

Josh Flack

Kaden Fowler

Luke Hauswirth

Zach Kokoska

Connor McCullough

Dylan Phillips

Terrence Spurlin

Kamron Willman

Players Mentioned

Blake Burrows

Dylan Caplinger

Chris Ceballos

Josh Flack

Kaden Fowler

Luke Hauswirth

Zach Kokoska

Connor McCullough

Dylan Phillips

Terrence Spurlin

Kamron Willman

Kansas State University Athletics