Kansas State University Athletics
Kansas State University
18-9
Air Force
10-16
Falcons Top Cats in Wednesday Slug Fest
Mar 29, 2023 | Baseball
"Unfortunately, we played poorly in all three phases of the game," stated head coach Pete Hughes. "Air Force deserved that win. Now is the time to focus on West Virginia."
Four Cats drove in multiple RBI in the slug fest led by Roberto Pena with a career-high five who went 2-for-3 while Cash Rugely recorded three hits.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Air Force struck first in the first frame after the leadoff Blake Coven was hit by a pitch until the senior came around on hit in the infield.
Roberto Pena walked to start off the third before the Cats collected back-to-back singles from Kaelen Culpepper and Nick Goodwin to even the score, 1-1.
The Falcons immediately responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning after capitalizing on an error at short. AF loaded the bases for the fourth time of the frame until Shay Hartis struck out the final batter to stop the damage.
K-State tabbed their second run to the board in the fourth with freshman Carson Queck's double off the right field wall. Cash Rugely singled up the middle before a walk brought Queck to the plate where he drove a 2-2 pitch into right field, but a two-man relay from center prevented the third run.
Five runs would cross the plate for the Wildcats in the sixth frame, trimming the Falcons lead 10-7. The Cats quickly loaded the bases with a pair of hits and a walk before Pena lined out to start off the rally and end the drought.
Air Force came back with its own five-run frame using six hits to expand the lead out to eight for the second time of the game.
K-State plated six more runs including a three-run homer by Pena but would ultimately fall short of the comeback win.
Freshman starter Dalton Beck received the loss after allowing three runs (three earned) on four hits with two walks over two complete innings.
INSIDE THE BOX
- K-State scored 13 runs on 14 hits with two errors and 12 left on base
- Five pitchers saw action on the mound for the Wildcats
- The bullpen combined for 15 runs (14 earned) on 18 hits with eight strikeouts
- Eight players recorded a hit; five had multiple
- Rugely went 3-for-4 at the plate with four runs and two walks
- Four Cats had multiple RBI led by Pena drove with five
- AF scored 18 runs on 22 hits with one error and 12 left on
- Greiving had a game-high four hits with four RBI
- AF led by eight runs on three separate occasions
- K-State leads the all-time series 14-5
- Cats move to 5-3 in true road games against the Falcons
- K-State improves to 7-4 on the road this season
- The Wildcats hit .364 in the series with 28 hits and 24 RBI
K-State returns to Manhattan to host No. 24 West Virginia on March 30-April 2. The Big 12 weekend series will be streamed on the Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app with radio coverage on KMAN (93.3FM/1350AM) and a free live audio available at kstatesports.com/watch.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sawyer Hawks (1-0)
L: Beck, Dalton (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Day, Brady 1 ; Johnson, Cole 1 ; Queck, Carson 1 ; Pena, Roberto 1
HR: Pena, Roberto 1
RBI: Culpepper, Kaelen 3 ; Goodwin, Nick 2 ; Day, Brady 1 ; Queck, Carson 2 ; Pena, Roberto 5
SF: Goodwin, Nick 1 ; Queck, Carson 1 ; Pena, Roberto 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jones, Brendan 1 ; Culpepper, Kaelen 1 ; Day, Brady 1 ; Rugely, Cash 4 ; Pelletier, Raphael 3 ; Queck, Carson 1 ; Pena, Roberto 2
SB: Day, Brady 1
Batting:
2B: Blake Covin 1 ; Sam Kulasingam 2 ; Jay Thomason 1 ; Jake Greiving 2 ; Chris Stallings 1 ; Landon Boyd 1
3B: Matt Thompson 1
HR: Jay Thomason 1
RBI: Blake Covin 1 ; Sam Kulasingam 3 ; Jay Thomason 3 ; Jake Greiving 4 ; Matt Thompson 2 ; Aerik Joe 1 ; Chris Stallings 2 ; Charlie Jones 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Blake Covin 2 ; Sam Kulasingam 4 ; Jay Thomason 3 ; Jake Greiving 1 ; Trayden Tamiya 2 ; Matt Thompson 1 ; Aerik Joe 2 ; Chris Stallings 2 ; Charlie Jones 1
SB: Trayden Tamiya 1
HBP: Blake Covin 1
