Miscues Haunt K-State Against Michigan

ARLINGTON, Texas – Michigan took advantage of a handful of K-State miscues Saturday, scoring seven runs in the seventh inning on its way to a 10-2 victory over the Wildcats Saturday at Globe Life Field on the second day of the State Farm College Baseball Showdown.

As the game hit the seventh-inning stretch, K-State (0-2) trailed by just a run after a two-out RBI single from Cole Johnson. Michigan (1-1) responded with seven runs on four hits and were aided by a pair of walks, a wild pitch and a balk. The inning was capped by a two-run home run by the Wolverines' leadoff hitter Clark Elliot.

In the sixth, U-M scraped across three unearned runs after a pair of Wildcat errors with two outs extended the inning. Reliever Griffin Hassall suffered the loss after being charged with the three runs on two hits along with two wild pitches.

"It comes down to pitching, throwing strikes, playing defense," said head coach Pete Hughes. "When you get to the critical parts of the game, that's when you've got to execute in those areas and we didn't'. We gave them free baserunners and a good team's going to get a big hit if you keep giving them more opportunities. That's what we did."

Hassall lifted starter Connor McCullough, who logged five scoreless frames and tallied five strikeouts. McCullough did not allow a hit until the fourth inning and his day ended after 94 pitches.

"Connor McCullough's outing was awesome," Hughes added. "Our starting pitching is absolutely good enough for us to win at this level and in our league this year. But we've got to get better in the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings."

Orlando Salinas, Jr. handed K-State an early one-run lead with an RBI double to left-center field, bringing home Cash Rugely who singled. Salinas picked up an RBI for the second straight game and got his first start of the year at first base.

After Salinas' double, the Wolverines quieted the Wildcat offense, retiring the next nine batters until Justin Mitchell drew a one-out walk in the top of the seventh. Mitchell later came around to score on Johnson's single.

K-State's bullpen allowed all 10 runs (seven earned) on just six hits. Four relievers combined to walk three and strike out six while throwing four wild pitches.
Landry Wideman struck out three in his K-State debut, logging the final 1 2/3 innings.

Michigan got three hits from catcher Jimmy Obertop, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Elliott and Joe Stewart each tallied two runs batted in.

Brady Day came on as a pinch hitter with two outs in the ninth, his first collegiate at-bat, and connected on a double to the right-center field gap.

Michigan starter Jacob Denner earned the win after allowing one earned run on four hits over six innings.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
With K-State owning a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth, Michigan put runners on second and third with just one out. Second baseman Josh Nicoloff made a leaping grab on a line drive off the bat of Stewart to rob U-M of two runs. McCullough then ended the threat with a strikeout of Alex Fedje-Johnson.

With a runner on second and two outs, Fedje-Johnson reached on a soft ground ball that Salinas tossed above Hassall, who was trying to cover first base. The error extended the frame, and U-M was able to take advantage of a second error and finish with three unearned runs.

Inheriting the bases loaded and one out, Tyson Neighbors was called for a balk to allow Michigan to plate its first run of its seven-run seventh.

UP NEXT
K-State concludes the 2022 State Farm College Baseball Showdown against Auburn on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Fan can watch on FloBaseball.TV and listen on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM). Free, live audio is also available at K-StateSports.com/Watch.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

K-State scored two runs on six hits, committed two errors and left 10 on base.
Michigan scored 10 runs on 11 hits without an error and stranded eight baserunners.
Day and Salinas accounted for both of the Wildcats' extra-base hits (both doubles).
Salinas drove in a run for the second straight game.
Johnson also picked up an RBI.
McCullough did not allow a hit until the fourth inning and finished with five shutout innings in the start.
K-State's bullpen combined to allow 10 runs (seven earned) on four hits and three walks.
As a staff, the Cats committed five wild pitches and a balk.
The Cats went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and 4-for-19 with men on base.
Michigan hit .286 (4-for-14) with two outs and .292 (.7-for-24) with runners on base.

NOTES

The all-time series is now tied 1-1, as the teams met for the first time since 1997.
Nick Goodwin's eight-game on-base streak was snapped at eight games, dating back to last season.
Johnson pushed his hitting streak to six games.

Next Event

Team Stats

Dominic Johnson

Brady Day

Cole Johnson

Cash Rugely

Players Mentioned

Brady Day

Nick Goodwin

Griffin Hassall

Cole Johnson

Connor McCullough

Tyson Neighbors

Josh Nicoloff

Cash Rugely

Orlando Salinas, Jr.

Landry Wideman

Players Mentioned

Brady Day

Nick Goodwin

Griffin Hassall

Cole Johnson

Connor McCullough

Tyson Neighbors

Josh Nicoloff

Cash Rugely

Orlando Salinas, Jr.

Landry Wideman

Kansas State University Athletics