Kansas State University Athletics
Friday, April 22
Manhattan, Kan.
6 p.m.
Kansas State University
20-17
13
vs
8
UC Irvine
21-14
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
UC Irvine
0
1
0
3
1
0
0
0
3
8
11
0
K-State
0
0
1
0
0
1
11
0
X
13
17
1
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
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
Johnson Homers Twice in 11-Run Seventh as Cats Take Opener
Apr 22, 2022 | Baseball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Dominic Johnson belted a pair of three-run home runs in K-State's 11-run seventh inning Friday night, as the Wildcats powered their way to a 13-8 victory over UC Irvine in the series opener at Tointon Family Stadium.
Johnson became the first Wildcat to homer twice in the same inning since 1988, as K-State (20-17) brought 13 hitters to the plate in the seventh. The Cats had trailed, 5-2, as the game hit the seventh-inning stretch until the offense exploded for 10 hits, including four for extra bases.
"Like I told the team, that wasn't a good win, that was a great win," said head coach Pete Hughes. "We did a lot of things that good teams do: we played from behind, we took a lead and we expanded. We had a lot of people contribute, which speaks to the depth of our program and our bench. One through nine contributed in our lineup.
"German Fajardo did a great job out of the bullpen to give them a different look and hold a really good offense at bay so we could build and get back into that game."
Johnson's first three-run shot of the seventh tied the game at 5, ending UC Irvine reliever Gordon Ingebritson's outing. Ingebritson, who entered the game with a team-best 1.03 ERA in 19 relief appearances, gave up three earned runs on five hits in just 2/3 of an inning.
"That was it, that was the game changer right there," Hughes said of Johnson's game-tying homer. "We started getting close to having momentum and that just tipped it over the top and put it in our dugout. It's a big hit in a big moment right there. That got us going, that was it, that was the key to the whole game."
"I was talking to (Justin) Mitchell and said 'hey, what's he got?'," Johnson said. "His slider is going to break up, he's a submarine guy, so it's going to break up across the plate. I was sitting on it because I hit a fastball hard in my last at-bat and I got the slider on the first pitch, and I was able to hit it.
"The game was over. We were going to win. I knew for a fact we were going to win that game. We were all ready to go, it was electric. Once we tied it up, I knew the game was over."
The Anteaters (21-14) went through four pitchers in the seventh. Tanner Brooks suffered the loss after giving up four runs, all earned, on four hits without recording an out. Johnson's second home run of the frame came with two outs against Andrew Antone and capped the largest single-inning run total of the season for K-State.
"I honestly blacked out," Johnson said of his second homer. "I've never done that in my life, it was surreal. That put some insurance on the board. An 11-run inning, that's unbelievable. It was big for us."
Jeff Hulse was the last Wildcat to hit two home runs in the same inning, as he did so nearly 34 years ago to the day (April 16, 1988) against Kansas.
Reliever German Fajardo entered the game in the sixth and escaped a bases-loaded, one-out situation to keep the UCI off the board and keep K-State's deficit at four runs, 5-1.
Fajardo did not allow a hit until the ninth inning, allowing his offense ample time to produce enough offense to overcome the four-run hole. The sophomore righty picked up his third win of the year after logging three frames and scattering two hits – both homers in the top of the ninth.
Johnson finished with six runs batted – most by a Wildcat since the 2018 season – in going 3-for-5.
Nine different players recorded a hit for K-State, with six turning in multiple base hits. Jeff Heinrich was 3-for-4 with a solo home run that tied the game at a run apiece in the third.
Brady Day doubled and singled and drove in two, all in the seventh inning. Nick Goodwin doubled twice with two RBI and Justin Mitchell went 2-for-4 with a two-RBI single in the seventh.
K-State peppered the UCI bullpen to the tune of 11 runs on 13 hits over 2 1/3 innings.
UC Irvine starter Nick Pinto limited the Wildcats to just four hits and two runs while striking out nine over his 5 2/3 innings. The five Anteater hurlers totaled 11 strikeouts and no walks.
The 17 hits by the Wildcat offense tied their season high, while K-State went 7-for-9 (.778) with runners in scoring position. The Anteaters were 2-for-13 (.154) with runners in scoring position and 4-for-21 (.190) with men on base.
Six of K-State's 13 runs batted in came with two outs, as the Cats hit .429 with two away.
K-State plated double-digit runs for the third straight game, its longest stretch of the season.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The first three hits by UC Irvine were doubles, with two coming in the second inning resulting in the Anteaters' first run. Dub Gleed led off the second with a double and Myles Smith brought him home with a two-out double.
After Heinrich tied the game with a solo homer in the third, UCI responded with a two-run home run by Gleed in the top of the fourth. Ben Fitzgerald added an RBI fielder's choice as the Anteaters ended with three in the frame for a 4-1 edge.
K-State trailed 5-2 as the game hit the seventh-inning stretch. In the home half of the seventh, 13 Wildcats came to the plate in an 11-run inning that saw Dominic Johnson hit two three-run home runs. Day and Mitchell each added two-run singles to help the Cats to their largest single-inning run total of the season.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
UP NEXT
K-State and UC Irvine continue the series Saturday at 4 p.m. as the Wildcats will celebrate their Diversity and Inclusion Game. The game can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and with radio coverage on News Radio KMAN. Free, live audio is also available at K-StateSports.com/Watch.
Johnson became the first Wildcat to homer twice in the same inning since 1988, as K-State (20-17) brought 13 hitters to the plate in the seventh. The Cats had trailed, 5-2, as the game hit the seventh-inning stretch until the offense exploded for 10 hits, including four for extra bases.
"Like I told the team, that wasn't a good win, that was a great win," said head coach Pete Hughes. "We did a lot of things that good teams do: we played from behind, we took a lead and we expanded. We had a lot of people contribute, which speaks to the depth of our program and our bench. One through nine contributed in our lineup.
"German Fajardo did a great job out of the bullpen to give them a different look and hold a really good offense at bay so we could build and get back into that game."
Johnson's first three-run shot of the seventh tied the game at 5, ending UC Irvine reliever Gordon Ingebritson's outing. Ingebritson, who entered the game with a team-best 1.03 ERA in 19 relief appearances, gave up three earned runs on five hits in just 2/3 of an inning.
"That was it, that was the game changer right there," Hughes said of Johnson's game-tying homer. "We started getting close to having momentum and that just tipped it over the top and put it in our dugout. It's a big hit in a big moment right there. That got us going, that was it, that was the key to the whole game."
"I was talking to (Justin) Mitchell and said 'hey, what's he got?'," Johnson said. "His slider is going to break up, he's a submarine guy, so it's going to break up across the plate. I was sitting on it because I hit a fastball hard in my last at-bat and I got the slider on the first pitch, and I was able to hit it.
"The game was over. We were going to win. I knew for a fact we were going to win that game. We were all ready to go, it was electric. Once we tied it up, I knew the game was over."
The Anteaters (21-14) went through four pitchers in the seventh. Tanner Brooks suffered the loss after giving up four runs, all earned, on four hits without recording an out. Johnson's second home run of the frame came with two outs against Andrew Antone and capped the largest single-inning run total of the season for K-State.
"I honestly blacked out," Johnson said of his second homer. "I've never done that in my life, it was surreal. That put some insurance on the board. An 11-run inning, that's unbelievable. It was big for us."
Jeff Hulse was the last Wildcat to hit two home runs in the same inning, as he did so nearly 34 years ago to the day (April 16, 1988) against Kansas.
Reliever German Fajardo entered the game in the sixth and escaped a bases-loaded, one-out situation to keep the UCI off the board and keep K-State's deficit at four runs, 5-1.
Fajardo did not allow a hit until the ninth inning, allowing his offense ample time to produce enough offense to overcome the four-run hole. The sophomore righty picked up his third win of the year after logging three frames and scattering two hits – both homers in the top of the ninth.
Johnson finished with six runs batted – most by a Wildcat since the 2018 season – in going 3-for-5.
Nine different players recorded a hit for K-State, with six turning in multiple base hits. Jeff Heinrich was 3-for-4 with a solo home run that tied the game at a run apiece in the third.
Brady Day doubled and singled and drove in two, all in the seventh inning. Nick Goodwin doubled twice with two RBI and Justin Mitchell went 2-for-4 with a two-RBI single in the seventh.
K-State peppered the UCI bullpen to the tune of 11 runs on 13 hits over 2 1/3 innings.
UC Irvine starter Nick Pinto limited the Wildcats to just four hits and two runs while striking out nine over his 5 2/3 innings. The five Anteater hurlers totaled 11 strikeouts and no walks.
The 17 hits by the Wildcat offense tied their season high, while K-State went 7-for-9 (.778) with runners in scoring position. The Anteaters were 2-for-13 (.154) with runners in scoring position and 4-for-21 (.190) with men on base.
Six of K-State's 13 runs batted in came with two outs, as the Cats hit .429 with two away.
K-State plated double-digit runs for the third straight game, its longest stretch of the season.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The first three hits by UC Irvine were doubles, with two coming in the second inning resulting in the Anteaters' first run. Dub Gleed led off the second with a double and Myles Smith brought him home with a two-out double.
After Heinrich tied the game with a solo homer in the third, UCI responded with a two-run home run by Gleed in the top of the fourth. Ben Fitzgerald added an RBI fielder's choice as the Anteaters ended with three in the frame for a 4-1 edge.
K-State trailed 5-2 as the game hit the seventh-inning stretch. In the home half of the seventh, 13 Wildcats came to the plate in an 11-run inning that saw Dominic Johnson hit two three-run home runs. Day and Mitchell each added two-run singles to help the Cats to their largest single-inning run total of the season.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- K-State scored 13 runs on 17 hits with one error and left five on base.
- UC Irvine scored eight runs on 11 hits, committed no errors and stranded nine baserunners.
- The Wildcats' 17 hits tied a season high (three times).
- Johnson homered twice as part of K-State's 11-run seventh inning.
- Thirteen Cats came to the plate in the seventh – a season high for any single inning.
- It marked the first inning with 10 or more runs this season and most since scoring 15 in an inning against Texas Southern last season.
- Heinrich homered for the second straight game.
- Johnson went 3-for-5 with six RBI and three runs scored.
- Nine Wildcats registered a base hit, including six with at least two hits.
- Heinrich finished 3-for-4.
- Goodwin doubled twice in going 2-for-4 with two driven in.
- Five different players drove in a run, with four recording multiple RBI.
- Fajardo earned the win after tossing three innings of relief and allowing three earned on two hits.
- Adams gave up four earned on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings in the start.
- The UC Irvine bullpen combined to allow 11 runs on 13 hits in 2 1/3 innings.
- Five Anteater pitchers totaled 11 strikeouts and no walks.
- Each team hit three home runs.
- K-State hit .556 with runners on base while UC Irvine hit just .190.
- The Wildcats hit .429 with two outs, including six two-out RBI.
- The Anteaters hit .250 with gone and three two-out RBI.
- K-State went 7-for-9 (.778) with runners in scoring position while UCI finished 2-for-13 (.154).
- Dominic Johnson homered twice in the seventh inning to become the first Wildcat since 1988 to homer twice in the same inning (Jeff Hulse).
- Johnson's multi-homer game marked the fourth by a Wildcat this season.
- K-State leads the all-time series 2-1, as this was the first since meeting since 2008.
- All three matchups have taken place at Tointon Family Stadium.
- The Cats are 2-3 against teams from the Big West this season.
- The Wildcats have hit multiple home runs 16 times this season, improving to 12-4 in those contests.
- K-State has won five of its last six games.
- The Cats have outscored their last three opponents 36-12.
- K-State scored double-digit runs for the third consecutive game – a season high.
UP NEXT
K-State and UC Irvine continue the series Saturday at 4 p.m. as the Wildcats will celebrate their Diversity and Inclusion Game. The game can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and with radio coverage on News Radio KMAN. Free, live audio is also available at K-StateSports.com/Watch.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Fajardo, German (3-1)
L: Brooks, Tanner (2-2)
Batting:
2B: Church, Nathan 1 ; Gleed, Dub 1 ; Smith, Myles 1 ; Nakawake, Taishi 1
HR: Torres, Justin 1 ; Gleed, Dub 1 ; McCaffrey, Thomas 1
RBI: Fitzgerald, Ben 1 ; Torres, Justin 2 ; Gleed, Dub 2 ; McCaffrey, Thomas 2 ; Smith, Myles 1
SH: Nakawake, Taishi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Church, Nathan 1 ; Spillane, Luke 1 ; Torres, Justin 2 ; Gleed, Dub 2 ; McCaffrey, Thomas 2
HBP: Kendle, Caden 1
Batting:
2B: Goodwin, Nick 2 ; Day, Brady 1
HR: Johnson, Dominic 2 ; Heinrich, Jeff 1
RBI: Johnson, Dominic 6 ; Goodwin, Nick 2 ; Mitchell, Justin 2 ; Heinrich, Jeff 1 ; Day, Brady 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Johnson, Dominic 3 ; Johnson, Cole 1 ; Phillips, Dylan 1 ; Goodwin, Nick 1 ; Hughes, Dom 1 ; Nicoloff, Josh 1 ; Culpepper, Kaelen 1 ; Heinrich, Jeff 2 ; Day, Brady 2
HBP: Culpepper, Kaelen 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
3
H
3
RBI
6
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
cf/rf
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
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