Kansas State University Athletics
Saturday, February 18
Nacogdoches, TX
2 p.m.
Kansas State University
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Stephen F. Austin
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Kansas St.
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Stephen F. Austin
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Long Ball Lifts Cats to 2-0 Start, Hughes Earns 100th Victory
Feb 18, 2023 | Baseball
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Four different players sent one deep on Saturday afternoon to lift K-State to its second straight victory over Stephen F. Austin while head coach Pete Hughes secured his 100th victory with the program. Saturday's 8-4 victory over the Jacks moves the Wildcats to 2-0 to lead off the season, marking the best start since 2015.
"It was a good team win," stated Hughes. "I thought we played better today. That's the goal. German did a great job without his best stuff and Tyson and Shay were awesome."
"Our offense never panicked. They stayed with the process long enough for Cole Johnson to get the big hit.
K-State (2-0) scored in each of the first three innings to even the score at 3-all before Johnson belted a three-run home run in the sixth to give the Cats the go-ahead lead. The Wildcats four home runs from Roberto Pena, Johnson, Nick Goodwin, and Cash Rugely helped back the pitching staff that allowed just three earned runs.
"What a great community to win 100 games. What a privilege. Cat Nation deserves a lot more! Go Cats!"
HOW IT HAPPENED
For the second straight day, leadoff batter Brendan Jones reached first base before advancing to second on a failed pickoff attempt from the mound. Junior Dom Hughes moved Jones to third with deep fly ball into center field until Kaelen Culpepper's sac fly gave K-State the 1-0 lead in the first. Back-to-back singles by SFA leveled the score in the bottom of the inning before a hit by pitch put the Jacks ahead, 2-1.
With one out in the third, newcomer Roberto Pena recorded his first home run with the Cats since transferring from South Florida. The Caracas, Venezuela product sent the Cats first homer of the season deep and over left center to make it 2-all until the Jacks immediately responded with a home run by Cole Hill to take back the lead.
The Cats plated three in the sixth after two scoreless innings with Cole Johnson's three-run bomb. Hughes walked to lead off the inning before moving into scoring position after Nick Goodwin was hit by a pitch to bring Cole Johnson to the plate. The senior from Southlake, Texas cleared the bases with a shot deep and out into left center to make it a 6-3 ball game in favor of the Cats.
Alex Rodger hit a solo shot down the left field line to cut K-State's lead to one in the sixth, but right-handed pitcher Tyson Neighbors caught two batters swinging to end the threat.
The Wildcats added insurance to the board in the final two innings with the third and fourth home runs for the visitors by Goodwin and Cash Rugely to grab the game two win.
INSIDE THE BOX
K-State's series against Stephen F. Austin continues Sunday at 1 p.m. CT in Nacogdoches. Tomorrow's game will be streamed on ESPN+ while fans can also follow live stats or tune-in and listen on kstatesports.com/watch.
"It was a good team win," stated Hughes. "I thought we played better today. That's the goal. German did a great job without his best stuff and Tyson and Shay were awesome."
"Our offense never panicked. They stayed with the process long enough for Cole Johnson to get the big hit.
K-State (2-0) scored in each of the first three innings to even the score at 3-all before Johnson belted a three-run home run in the sixth to give the Cats the go-ahead lead. The Wildcats four home runs from Roberto Pena, Johnson, Nick Goodwin, and Cash Rugely helped back the pitching staff that allowed just three earned runs.
"What a great community to win 100 games. What a privilege. Cat Nation deserves a lot more! Go Cats!"
HOW IT HAPPENED
For the second straight day, leadoff batter Brendan Jones reached first base before advancing to second on a failed pickoff attempt from the mound. Junior Dom Hughes moved Jones to third with deep fly ball into center field until Kaelen Culpepper's sac fly gave K-State the 1-0 lead in the first. Back-to-back singles by SFA leveled the score in the bottom of the inning before a hit by pitch put the Jacks ahead, 2-1.
With one out in the third, newcomer Roberto Pena recorded his first home run with the Cats since transferring from South Florida. The Caracas, Venezuela product sent the Cats first homer of the season deep and over left center to make it 2-all until the Jacks immediately responded with a home run by Cole Hill to take back the lead.
The Cats plated three in the sixth after two scoreless innings with Cole Johnson's three-run bomb. Hughes walked to lead off the inning before moving into scoring position after Nick Goodwin was hit by a pitch to bring Cole Johnson to the plate. The senior from Southlake, Texas cleared the bases with a shot deep and out into left center to make it a 6-3 ball game in favor of the Cats.
Alex Rodger hit a solo shot down the left field line to cut K-State's lead to one in the sixth, but right-handed pitcher Tyson Neighbors caught two batters swinging to end the threat.
The Wildcats added insurance to the board in the final two innings with the third and fourth home runs for the visitors by Goodwin and Cash Rugely to grab the game two win.
INSIDE THE BOX
- K-State scored eight runs (eight earned) on 10 hits with eight RBI, one error and three left on base
- Tyson Neighbors (1-0) was rewarded the victory allowing one earned run on two hits through two complete innings
- Shay Hartis (S1) received the save in his K-State debut with three shutout innings and two strikeouts
- German Fajardo earned the start on the mound throwing four complete innings with three runs (two earned), seven hits, three strikeouts and two walks
- Jones had a career-high three hits and went 3-for-4 to lead the Cats offense
- Johnson had a team-high three RBI followed by Goodwin with two
- Cats four home runs marks the first time since April 23, 2022 against UC Irvine, all four home runs were hit into left field
- K-State extended its win streak out to 4-1 over SFA and remains undefeated in Nacogdoches, 3-0
- Pete Hughes recorded his 100th victory with K-State and 752nd overall
- Neighbors earned his second career victory on the mound with a career-high five strikeouts
- Fajardo received his seventh career start on the mound since joining the Wildcats in 2022
- K-State last started the season 2-0 in 2015 with victories over Iowa and Pittsburg, first 2-0 start under Hughes
- Goodwin's home run brings his career total to 22
K-State's series against Stephen F. Austin continues Sunday at 1 p.m. CT in Nacogdoches. Tomorrow's game will be streamed on ESPN+ while fans can also follow live stats or tune-in and listen on kstatesports.com/watch.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Neighbors, Tyson (1-0)
L: C. Stapleton (0-1)
S: Hartis, Shay (1)
Batting:
HR: Goodwin, Nick 1 ; Johnson, Cole 1 ; Pena, Roberto 1 ; Rugely, Cash 1
RBI: Goodwin, Nick 2 ; Culpepper, Kaelen 1 ; Johnson, Cole 3 ; Pena, Roberto 1 ; Rugely, Cash 1
SF: Culpepper, Kaelen 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jones, Brendan 1 ; Hughes, Dom 1 ; Goodwin, Nick 1 ; Culpepper, Kaelen 1 ; Johnson, Cole 1 ; Pena, Roberto 1 ; Rugely, Cash 1 ; Lodice, Kyan 1
CS: Jones, Brendan 2 ; Lodice, Kyan 1
HBP: Goodwin, Nick 1 ; Culpepper, Kaelen 1
Batting:
HR: A. Rodgers 1 ; C. Hill 1
RBI: A. Rodgers 1 ; T. Biggs 1 ; N. Brown 1 ; C. Hill 1
Base Running:
RUNS: A. Rodgers 2 ; P. Parker 1 ; C. Hill 1
HBP: N. Brown 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
3
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
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INF/OF
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