Kansas State University Athletics
Tuesday, April 26
Lincoln, Neb.
6:30 p.m.
Kansas State University
21-19
6
at
8
Nebraska
16-23
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
K-State
0
0
2
2
2
0
0
0
0
6
5
1
Nebraska
2
0
0
5
0
1
0
0
X
8
8
0
K-State Drops Tuesday Tilt to Cornhuskers, 8-6
Apr 26, 2022 | Baseball
LINCOLN, Neb. – K-State was unable to overcome eight walks and four hit batters Tuesday night, as Nebraska came away with an 8-6 win in the finale of the home-and-home series at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.
After taking a 4-2 lead after three and a half innings, the Wildcats (21-19) gave up five runs in the bottom of the fourth. Nebraska (16-23) recorded four extra-base hits in the inning, including a two-run home run from Max Anderson. Five of the Cornhuskers' eight runs were scored by walks or hit batters.
"We just gave them too many free baserunners and then we left too many guys on base tonight," said head coach Pete Hughes. "We let guys all over the base paths and only had five hits tonight, you can't beat anyone doing that. Eight walks, four hit batters and an error – just not clean baseball. Too many free baserunners running around and we couldn't stay away from the big inning, that's what cost us."
Over the game's first five innings, the Cats allowed 10 free baserunners – walking six and hitting four. The Huskers' first two runs were scored by free passes, as starter Wesley Moore hit Cam Chick to lead off the first inning and later walked Griffin Everett. Both came in to score on a bloop single by Anderson.
Anderson led all players with three hits, going 3-for-5 with four runs batted in.
After allowing a leadoff single to Dominic Johnson, NU starter Jackson Brockett retired the next seven Wildcats until Cameron Uselton drew a one-out walk in the third. Later in the inning, he hit Brady Day and both would come around to score after Josh Nicoloff and Dylan Phillips recorded back-to-back singles with two outs.
Brockett exited an inning later after issuing consecutive walks to Cole Johnson and Justin Mitchell, giving way to C.J. Hood. Hood walked Uselton, the first Wildcat he faced, to load the bases for Dominic Johnson with one out.
Dominic Johnson brought home Cole Johnson on an RBI fielder's choice and Mitchell later trotted home on a wild pitch by Hood. K-State took its 4-2 lead without the benefit of a base hit in the fourth, as Brockett and Hood combined for four walks in the inning.
Ty Ruhl, who took over for Moore, faced the minimum in the third before giving up five runs in the fourth. Nebraska tallied four extra-base hits off Ruhl – a two-run homer from Anderson, RBI triples from Chick and Core Jackson to go with a double from Matthews.
Nebraska brought 10 hitters to the plate in their five-run frame, reclaiming the lead at 7-4.
All six outs Moore recorded were by way of the strikeout. The left-hander also walked three and hit two over his two frames, heaving 51 pitches in a no-decision effort.
Jeff Heinrich trimmed the deficit to a single run with a two-run homer to left in the fifth, scoring Phillips who led off with a walk. It was Heinrich's fourth home run over his last five games and eighth of the year.
After giving up the homer to Heinrich, Mason Ornelas sat down the next 10 Wildcats he faced until an infield single by Mitchell in the eighth. Mitchell represented the only K-State baserunner after the fifth inning.
Ornelas' day included four strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings, as he allowed just two hits and a walk.
Ruhl suffered the loss for the Cats after allowing five earned runs on five hits over 1 2/3 innings.
Hood was credited with the win after recording two outs and now giving up a run or hit.
Braxton Bragg picked up his fifth save of the year after tossing a perfect ninth.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Nebraska took advantage of two walks and a hit batter, as two scored on a bloop single from Anderson in the bottom of the first. Nebraska swiped six bags in the inning and grabbed a two-run lead while recording just one base hit, bringing seven to the plate.
K-State was able to replicate the Huskers' recipe in the third, as Uselton drew a walk and Day was hit by a pitch. Both came around to score on back-to-back two-out singles from Nicoloff and Phillips, tying the game at two runs apiece.
The Cats made it four unanswered runs with two more in the fourth, capitalizing on four walks between starter Brockett and reliever Hood. Dominic Johnson drove in a run by way of a fielder's choice while Mitchell later raced on a wild pitch to stake K-State a 4-2 lead.
In the home half of the fourth, RBI triples by Jackson and Chick evened the game at 4. After an RBI groundout from Anglim, Anderson launched a two-run homer to punctuate a five-run inning and reclaim the lead for the Cornhuskers, 7-4.
Heinrich trimmed the deficit to one when he connected on his fourth home run over his last five games, this one a two-run shot in the fifth. Phillips led off the inning with a walk and scored on Heinrich's eight home run of the year.
A K-State error led to an unearned run in the sixth, pushing the Huskers' lead back to two runs at 8-6.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
ON DECK
K-State continues its roadtrip and kicks off the second half of its Big 12 schedule at Oklahoma, as the three-game series starts Friday at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The series can be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ with radio coverage on News Radio KMAN. Free, live audio is also available at K-StateSports.com/Watch.
After taking a 4-2 lead after three and a half innings, the Wildcats (21-19) gave up five runs in the bottom of the fourth. Nebraska (16-23) recorded four extra-base hits in the inning, including a two-run home run from Max Anderson. Five of the Cornhuskers' eight runs were scored by walks or hit batters.
"We just gave them too many free baserunners and then we left too many guys on base tonight," said head coach Pete Hughes. "We let guys all over the base paths and only had five hits tonight, you can't beat anyone doing that. Eight walks, four hit batters and an error – just not clean baseball. Too many free baserunners running around and we couldn't stay away from the big inning, that's what cost us."
Over the game's first five innings, the Cats allowed 10 free baserunners – walking six and hitting four. The Huskers' first two runs were scored by free passes, as starter Wesley Moore hit Cam Chick to lead off the first inning and later walked Griffin Everett. Both came in to score on a bloop single by Anderson.
Anderson led all players with three hits, going 3-for-5 with four runs batted in.
After allowing a leadoff single to Dominic Johnson, NU starter Jackson Brockett retired the next seven Wildcats until Cameron Uselton drew a one-out walk in the third. Later in the inning, he hit Brady Day and both would come around to score after Josh Nicoloff and Dylan Phillips recorded back-to-back singles with two outs.
Brockett exited an inning later after issuing consecutive walks to Cole Johnson and Justin Mitchell, giving way to C.J. Hood. Hood walked Uselton, the first Wildcat he faced, to load the bases for Dominic Johnson with one out.
Dominic Johnson brought home Cole Johnson on an RBI fielder's choice and Mitchell later trotted home on a wild pitch by Hood. K-State took its 4-2 lead without the benefit of a base hit in the fourth, as Brockett and Hood combined for four walks in the inning.
Ty Ruhl, who took over for Moore, faced the minimum in the third before giving up five runs in the fourth. Nebraska tallied four extra-base hits off Ruhl – a two-run homer from Anderson, RBI triples from Chick and Core Jackson to go with a double from Matthews.
Nebraska brought 10 hitters to the plate in their five-run frame, reclaiming the lead at 7-4.
All six outs Moore recorded were by way of the strikeout. The left-hander also walked three and hit two over his two frames, heaving 51 pitches in a no-decision effort.
Jeff Heinrich trimmed the deficit to a single run with a two-run homer to left in the fifth, scoring Phillips who led off with a walk. It was Heinrich's fourth home run over his last five games and eighth of the year.
After giving up the homer to Heinrich, Mason Ornelas sat down the next 10 Wildcats he faced until an infield single by Mitchell in the eighth. Mitchell represented the only K-State baserunner after the fifth inning.
Ornelas' day included four strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings, as he allowed just two hits and a walk.
Ruhl suffered the loss for the Cats after allowing five earned runs on five hits over 1 2/3 innings.
Hood was credited with the win after recording two outs and now giving up a run or hit.
Braxton Bragg picked up his fifth save of the year after tossing a perfect ninth.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Nebraska took advantage of two walks and a hit batter, as two scored on a bloop single from Anderson in the bottom of the first. Nebraska swiped six bags in the inning and grabbed a two-run lead while recording just one base hit, bringing seven to the plate.
K-State was able to replicate the Huskers' recipe in the third, as Uselton drew a walk and Day was hit by a pitch. Both came around to score on back-to-back two-out singles from Nicoloff and Phillips, tying the game at two runs apiece.
The Cats made it four unanswered runs with two more in the fourth, capitalizing on four walks between starter Brockett and reliever Hood. Dominic Johnson drove in a run by way of a fielder's choice while Mitchell later raced on a wild pitch to stake K-State a 4-2 lead.
In the home half of the fourth, RBI triples by Jackson and Chick evened the game at 4. After an RBI groundout from Anglim, Anderson launched a two-run homer to punctuate a five-run inning and reclaim the lead for the Cornhuskers, 7-4.
Heinrich trimmed the deficit to one when he connected on his fourth home run over his last five games, this one a two-run shot in the fifth. Phillips led off the inning with a walk and scored on Heinrich's eight home run of the year.
A K-State error led to an unearned run in the sixth, pushing the Huskers' lead back to two runs at 8-6.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- K-State scored six runs on five on eight hits with one error and left six on base.
- Nebraska scored eight runs on eight hits, committed no errors and stranded 11 baserunners.
- The Wildcats issued eight walks and hit four batters, as five of the Cornhuskers' runs were scored by free passes.
- Ten of 12 free baserunners K-State allowed occurred in the game's first five innings.
- Heinrich hit his eighth home run of the season, and fourth over his last five games.
- Heinrich's homer was K-State's only extra-base hit.
- Moore struck out six in two innings in the start.
- Five Wildcat pitchers combined for a dozen strikeouts.
- Nebraska stole seven bases in the contest, with six coming in the first inning.
- Anderson led NU with a 3-for-5, four-RBI performance that included a two-run home run.
- Anderson was the only player in the game to record multiple hits and more than one RBI.
- All four of the Cornhuskers' extra-base hits came in their five-run fourth inning.
- K-State hit .333 (3-for-9) with runners in scoring position and .250 (3-for-12) with two outs.
- The Huskers were 3-for-10 with two outs and 3-for-13 with runners in scoring position.
- This was the 290th meeting all-time between the former conference foes.
- Nebraska leads the series 174-116, dating back to 1898.
- K-State is 43-91 on the road against the Cornhuskers.
- The Wildcats have homered in five straight games.
- K-State is now 5-11 in true road games and 5-14 in all games away from home.
- The Cats have committed at least one error in seven straight games and in 16 of their last 17 overall.
- K-State and Nebraska split the season series, with each winning on its home field.
ON DECK
K-State continues its roadtrip and kicks off the second half of its Big 12 schedule at Oklahoma, as the three-game series starts Friday at L. Dale Mitchell Park. The series can be streamed on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ with radio coverage on News Radio KMAN. Free, live audio is also available at K-StateSports.com/Watch.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hood, CJ (2-0)
L: Ruhl, Ty (2-2)
S: Bragg, Braxton (5)
Batting:
HR: Heinrich, Jeff 1
RBI: Johnson, Dominic 1 ; Nicoloff, Josh 1 ; Phillips, Dylan 1 ; Heinrich, Jeff 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Day, Brady 1 ; Phillips, Dylan 1 ; Heinrich, Jeff 1 ; Johnson, Cole 1 ; Mitchell, Justin 1 ; Uselton, Cameron 1
SB: Johnson, Dominic 1 ; Phillips, Dylan 1
HBP: Day, Brady 1
Batting:
2B: Matthews, Brice 1
3B: Chick, Cam 1 ; Jackson, Core 1
HR: Anderson, Max 1
RBI: Chick, Cam 1 ; Anglim, Garrett 1 ; Anderson, Max 4 ; Swansen, Gabe 1 ; Jackson, Core 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Chick, Cam 2 ; Everitt, Griffin 2 ; Anderson, Max 2 ; Swansen, Gabe 1 ; Jackson, Core 1
SB: Chick, Cam 2 ; Anglim, Garrett 1 ; Everitt, Griffin 1 ; Anderson, Max 2 ; Matthews, Brice 1
HBP: Chick, Cam 2 ; Anglim, Garrett 1 ; Swansen, Gabe 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
2b/1b
AB
5
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
1b/p
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballINF
/ BaseballOF/LHP
/ Baseball
OF
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