Fajardo Punches Out 10 as Cats Sweep Shockers

MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State starter German Fajardo struck out 10 while yielding one hit over his six innings of work, propelling the Wildcats to a 3-1 victory over in-state rival Wichita State Tuesday night at Tointon Family Stadium.

Fajardo was perfect his first time through the Wichita State order on his way to career highs in innings and strikeouts. The sophomore right-hander allowed just two baserunners in earning his second win in as many starts against the Shockers.

K-State (23-21) got back-to-back RBI doubles with two outs in the third inning from Dylan Phillips and Nick Goodwin – each coming with two strikes. Phillips' ground-rule double resulted in the game's first run while Goodwin laced a two-run double down the left field line.

"A really good, solid win; the game was well played, it was clean baseball," said head coach Pete Hughes. "The story of the game was German Fajardo, just dominant through six innings with 10 strikeouts and one walk. Difficult day to generate offense, that was a heavy air out there tonight.

"Anytime you can get runs with two outs and two strikes, it's a sign of a tough team and a tough player. That was a big hit by Goodwin and a big hit by Phillips."

After retiring the first nine batters with five strikeouts, Fajardo hit WSU leadoff hitter Chuck Ingram to start the fourth, marking the only baserunner allowed through five innings. Fajardo retired 16 of the first 17 Shockers before a one-out single by Couper Cornblum in the sixth.

"That was as good as I've seen him because he was down in the zone," Hughes said of his starting pitcher. "He made big pitches, he put people away. He didn't miss many spots tonight, his stuff was electric. When his stuff is down, it's as good as anybody's."

"I felt really calm out there, just doing my thing and hitting my spots," Fajardo said. "I did feel really locked in today. I felt good, my body felt really good. I just felt dialed in the whole time I was out there."

Fajardo started in the Wildcats' 12-1 win at Wichita State on April 18. After logging five scoreless innings in the start, the Nogales, Arizona, product totaled 11 scoreless innings against WSU, posting 14 strikeouts and just three hits allowed in his two outings.

The sixth was the first inning in which multiple WSU baserunners reached. After Cornblum's single, Brock Rodden walked with two outs to put runners on first and second. Fajardo induced an inning-ending flyout, as his day ended after six innings.

Blake Corsentino logged a one-two-three seventh, as he and Fajardo combined to keep Wichita State (15-30) to one hit over seven frames. In the eighth, Payton Tolle led off with a double before a one-out double by Ingram plated the Shockers' lone run.

A batter later and with runners on second and third, Brock Rodden ripped a line drive to Phillips at first base. Phillips dove to his left and snared it before it went down the right field line and kept the tying runs on the basepaths.

Phillips was then asked to move from first base to the mound to record the final out of the eighth, stranding two. The junior two-way star went on to record a four-out save – his team-leading fourth of the season.

Jordan Rogers and Garrett Kocis tallied back-to-back singles to start the ninth before Phillips retired the next three WSU batters to complete the home-and-home season series sweep.

Fajardo, Corsentino and Phillips combined to hold Wichita State hitless with two outs (0-for-9) along with 13 total strikeouts and one walk.

K-State tagged WSU starter Jace Miner for three earned runs on four hits over 5 2/3 innings. Miner took the loss and walked three while punching out four.

Four of the Cats' five hits came from the top five in the order. Kaelen Culpepper doubled and scored in the three-run third inning.

The Shockers' bullpen yielded one hit in over the final 2 1/3 innings in relief of Miner.

Cornblum turned in the only multi-hit game of the day, going 2-for-3. Five of the Shockers' six hits came after the seventh inning.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Consecutive walks drawn by Cameron Uselton and Dominic Johnson in the third inning set up back-to-back RBI double by Phillips and Goodwin. Phillips' ground rule double scored Johnson while Goodwin's double down the left field line scored both Culpepper, who earlier doubled, and Phillips for a three-run lead.

K-State threatened to add to its lead in the bottom of the seventh, set up by three walks issued by L.J. McDonough and Adam Ketelsen. Ketelsen wiggled out of the jam with an inning with a pair of strikeouts.

Wichita State, who had one hit through seven innings, tallied three hits in the top of the eighth, with an RBI double from Ingram bringing home WSU's first run. With two Shockers in scoring position, Phillips moved to the mound from first base and got Sawyre Thornhill to ground out to end the inning.

Phillips stayed in the game to record a four-out save, but not before Rogers and Kocis sparked the ninth with back-to-back singles. After a strikeout and a groundout, the tying runs stood in scoring position. Phillips forced Ross Cadena into a game-ending groundout to pick up his fourth save of the season and earn the season series sweep.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

K-State scored three runs on five hits with one error and left eight on base.
Wichita State scored one run on six hits, committed no errors and stranded seven baserunners.
Fajardo posted career highs in innings (6) and strikeouts (10) in earning his fourth win of the season.
Fajardo retired the first nine hitters he saw and allowed two baserunners (one hit, one walk).
Over two starts against WSU, Fajardo logged 11 scoreless innings with three hits allowed and 14 strikeouts.
All three of K-State's runs came in the third inning with two outs.
Culpepper, Goodwin and Phillips each doubled.
Goodwin drove in two with his double while Phillips registered one RBI.
Phillips recorded a four-out save, his fourth of the year.
Four of K-State's five hits came from the top five in the order.
Cornblum registered the only multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-3 for the Shockers.
Five of WSU's six hits came in the eighth and ninth innings.
Miner scattered four hits over 5 2/3 innings in the start.
The Shockers' bullpen combined to surrender one hit over 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.
Fajardo, Corsentino and Phillips held Wichita State without a hit with two outs (0-for-9).
K-State hit .300 with runners on base and .273 with two outs.
Wichita State went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and 3-for-14 with men on base.

NOTES

This was the 100^th all-time meeting between the in-state rivals, dating back to 1906, as Wichita State now leads the all-time series 56-44.
K-State swept the home-and-home midweek series from WSU for the first time since 2016.
The Cats are now 17-5 at home and have won eight of the last 10 at Tointon Family Stadium
K-State improves to 26-18 at home against the Shockers.
Hughes is 3-3 against WSU while at K-State.

UP NEXT
K-State will host the 2022 edition of the Dillons Sunflower Showdown at Tointon Family Stadium, as the three-game series with Kansas begins Friday at 6 p.m. The weekend series 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.

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Team Stats

Kaelen Culpepper

Dylan Phillips

Nick Goodwin

Cole Johnson

Players Mentioned

Blake Corsentino

Kaelen Culpepper

German Fajardo

Nick Goodwin

Dominic Johnson

Dylan Phillips

Cameron Uselton

Players Mentioned

Blake Corsentino

Kaelen Culpepper

German Fajardo

Nick Goodwin

Dominic Johnson

Dylan Phillips

Cameron Uselton

Kansas State University Athletics