Kansas State University Athletics
Tuesday, May 17
Blacksburg, Va.
6 p.m.
Kansas State University
27-24
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at
8
Virginia Tech
37-11
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5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Kansas State
0
0
0
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0
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5
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Virginia Tech
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1
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2
0
0
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8
10
0
No. 3 Virginia Tech Handles Wildcats Tuesday Night, 8-2
May 17, 2022 | Baseball
BLACKSBURG, Va. – Virginia Tech, the third-ranked team in the nation, scored in each of the first four innings Tuesday night and finished off an 8-2 victory over K-State at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.
The Hokies (37-11) launched three home runs through three innings while eight of their 10 hits went for extra bases, scoring seven runs in the first four frames. K-State (27-24) got a two-run homer from Dominic Johnson in the top of the fourth to account for its offensive production.
"This team is going to burn you, offensively, if you're up in the zone, especially with tonight's conditions," said head coach Pete Hughes. "I was disappointed with our offensive productivity tonight. Against a team like that, you've got to match them to stay in the game and can't let them get a cushion. They just built momentum and that was the story of the game."
After Tanner Schobel's RBI single in the first, Carson Jones lifted a solo shot on an 0-2 pitch in the second inning. In the third, Jack Hurley added a solo homer of his own before Carson DeMartini's two-run home run to build a 5-0 lead.
All three of Virginia Tech's home runs came against K-State starter Griffin Hassall, who logged three innings in taking the loss. Five of Hassall's seven hits allowed were extra-base hits.
A Dylan Phillips leadoff single helped set up Johnson's 11th home run of the year, coming off VT reliever Ryan Metz.
After Johnson's homer, Metz retired the next six Wildcats he faced until giving up a leadoff single to Kaleen Culpepper in the sixth. In relief of Matthew Siverling, who made his first appearance of the season, Metz logged 4 1/3 innings and scattered four hits with two strikeouts.
Metz, along with relievers Christian Worley and Grant Umberger, combined to retire 16 of 17 Wildcats following Johnson's home run. Culpepper's sixth-inning single marked the only Wildcat baserunner until Johnson singled with one out in the ninth.
Nick Goodwin followed Johnson with a walk, as the ninth was the only inning in which multiple baserunners reached in an inning. K-State finished the night 1-for-12 with runners on base and 0-for-9 with two outs.
In relief of Hassall, Christian Ruebeck, Tyson Neighbors and Phillips allowed a combined three hits over five innings. Neighbors and Ruebeck each struck out three.
DeMartini and Schobel spearheaded the Hokies offense, as each went 2-for-4 with three runs batted in.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Virginia Tech jumped out to a 5-0 lead after three innings, hitting three home runs in that stretch. Jones and Hurley each hit solo shots in the second and third innings, respectively, before DeMartini lifted a two-run shot in the third.
Dominic Johnson trimmed the lead with a two-run homer of his own in the fourth, making the deficit 5-2 after three and a half innings. Johnson's 11th home run of the year scored Phillips, who led off the inning with a single.
The Hokies immediately got those two runs back in the home half of the frame on a two-out double by Schobel. VT scored in each of the game's first four innings in building a 7-2 advantage.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
UP NEXT
K-State continues its road trip at West Virginia, with a three-game series getting underway Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT at Monongalia County Ballpark. All three games can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. Radio coverage will be available on News Radio KMAN with free, live audio streaming at K-StateSports.com/Watch.
The Hokies (37-11) launched three home runs through three innings while eight of their 10 hits went for extra bases, scoring seven runs in the first four frames. K-State (27-24) got a two-run homer from Dominic Johnson in the top of the fourth to account for its offensive production.
"This team is going to burn you, offensively, if you're up in the zone, especially with tonight's conditions," said head coach Pete Hughes. "I was disappointed with our offensive productivity tonight. Against a team like that, you've got to match them to stay in the game and can't let them get a cushion. They just built momentum and that was the story of the game."
After Tanner Schobel's RBI single in the first, Carson Jones lifted a solo shot on an 0-2 pitch in the second inning. In the third, Jack Hurley added a solo homer of his own before Carson DeMartini's two-run home run to build a 5-0 lead.
All three of Virginia Tech's home runs came against K-State starter Griffin Hassall, who logged three innings in taking the loss. Five of Hassall's seven hits allowed were extra-base hits.
A Dylan Phillips leadoff single helped set up Johnson's 11th home run of the year, coming off VT reliever Ryan Metz.
After Johnson's homer, Metz retired the next six Wildcats he faced until giving up a leadoff single to Kaleen Culpepper in the sixth. In relief of Matthew Siverling, who made his first appearance of the season, Metz logged 4 1/3 innings and scattered four hits with two strikeouts.
Metz, along with relievers Christian Worley and Grant Umberger, combined to retire 16 of 17 Wildcats following Johnson's home run. Culpepper's sixth-inning single marked the only Wildcat baserunner until Johnson singled with one out in the ninth.
Nick Goodwin followed Johnson with a walk, as the ninth was the only inning in which multiple baserunners reached in an inning. K-State finished the night 1-for-12 with runners on base and 0-for-9 with two outs.
In relief of Hassall, Christian Ruebeck, Tyson Neighbors and Phillips allowed a combined three hits over five innings. Neighbors and Ruebeck each struck out three.
DeMartini and Schobel spearheaded the Hokies offense, as each went 2-for-4 with three runs batted in.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Virginia Tech jumped out to a 5-0 lead after three innings, hitting three home runs in that stretch. Jones and Hurley each hit solo shots in the second and third innings, respectively, before DeMartini lifted a two-run shot in the third.
Dominic Johnson trimmed the lead with a two-run homer of his own in the fourth, making the deficit 5-2 after three and a half innings. Johnson's 11th home run of the year scored Phillips, who led off the inning with a single.
The Hokies immediately got those two runs back in the home half of the frame on a two-out double by Schobel. VT scored in each of the game's first four innings in building a 7-2 advantage.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- K-State scored two runs on five hits without an error and left five on base.
- Virginia Tech scored eight runs on 10 hits, committed no errors and stranded six baserunners.
- The Wildcats' only runs came on a two-run home run by Dominic Johnson.
- Johnson produced the Cats' only multi-hit game, going 2-for-4.
- Johnson's homer, his 11th of the year, was the lone extra-base hit.
- Three Wildcat relievers combined to allow three hits over the final five innings.
- Hassall took the loss after giving up five earned runs on seven hits.
- Eight of the Hokies' 10 hits went for extra bases.
- Virginia Tech hit three home runs, all coming in the first three innings.
- DeMartini and Schobel each went 2-for-4 with three RBI for VT.
- The top eight in the Hokies' lineup recorded a base hit.
- K-State went 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position and 1-for-12 with men on base.
- Virginia Tech was 5-for-13 with two outs and 5-for-17 with runners on base.
- Tuesday's game was just the third-ever meeting between the teams, with Virginia Tech now owning a 2-1 series lead.
- The game marked K-State's first trip to Blacksburg, Virginia.
- K-State is now 3-11 against top-25 opponents this season and 3-8 against the top 10.
- K-State now has 78 home runs on the season, the second-most in a single season in program history.
- The Wildcats have homered in seven straight games and nine of their last 10 overall.
- K-State is 6-14 in true road games and 6-17 in all games away from home.
UP NEXT
K-State continues its road trip at West Virginia, with a three-game series getting underway Thursday at 5:30 p.m. CT at Monongalia County Ballpark. All three games can be seen on Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. Radio coverage will be available on News Radio KMAN with free, live audio streaming at K-StateSports.com/Watch.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Ryan Metz (2-0)
L: Hassall, Griffin (4-6)
Batting:
HR: Johnson, Dominic 1
RBI: Johnson, Dominic 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Phillips, Dylan 1 ; Johnson, Dominic 1
HBP: Nicoloff, Josh 1
Batting:
2B: Gavin Cross 1 ; Tanner Schobel 1 ; Cade Hunter 1 ; Carson DeMartini 1 ; Lucas Donlon 1
HR: Jack Hurley 1 ; Carson DeMartini 1 ; Carson Jones 1
RBI: Tanner Schobel 3 ; Jack Hurley 1 ; Carson DeMartini 3 ; Carson Jones 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nick Biddison 1 ; Gavin Cross 1 ; Jack Hurley 2 ; Cade Hunter 1 ; Carson DeMartini 1 ; Carson Jones 1 ; Christian Martin 1
SB: Nick Biddison 1
HBP: Nick Biddison 1 ; Eduardo Malinowski 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
1b/p
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballOF/LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
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