Kansas State University Athletics
Friday, March 31
Manhattan, KS
6 p.m.
Kansas State University
18-10, 0
3
vs
8
West Virginia
20-6, 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
West Virginia
0
2
1
0
2
2
0
1
0
8
13
0
Kansas State
2
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
3
6
0
No. 24 Mountaineers Take Series Opener, 8-3
Mar 31, 2023 | Baseball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Brendan Jones and Kaelen Culpepper each homered as K-State fell to No. 24 West Virginia, 8-3, in the series opener on Friday night at Tointon Family Stadium.
The Wildcats moved to 18-10 overall and 4-3 in Big 12 play while the Mountaineers won their conference opener to improve to 20-6 overall.
"I thought West Virginia did a great job making adjustments the second time around off of Owen [Boerema]," said head coach Pete Hughes. "They got the big hits all night and that was the storyline of the difference of the game – the team that got the big hit with runners on base."
"When you need to win on Friday night in the Big 12 you have to execute when runners are in scoring position. We've done that lately, but couldn't get the job done tonight," said Hughes.
Boerema was credited with his first loss of the season to move to 4-1 after allowing seven runs (seven earned) on 10 hits with six strikeouts. Six different players registered hits for the Cats with Jones and Culpepper each sending one deep and over the right center wall.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Cats led off scoring in the bottom of the first with a pair of homers out to right center by Brendan Jones and Kaelen Culpepper. Jones unloaded on the first pitch from left-hander Ben Hampton before Culpepper doubled the lead with his eighth career blast.
WVU answered with a pair of runs with Caleb McNeely's lead-off homer until a double into center leveled the score at 2-2.
The Mountaineers expanded their lead to five, 7-2, before the Cats posted their first hit to the board since the first inning.
Cole Johnson and Nick Goodwin hit back-to-back singles into left field in the sixth frame until a grounder moved the duo into scoring position. Brady Day walked for the second time of the nightcap to load the bases before the Mountaineers walked in the Cats third run.
K-State's best look to rally came in the eighth inning as a pair of walks and single by Raphael Pelletier loaded the bases but Carlson Reed retired the final batter to end the threat.
INSIDE THE BOX
- The Wildcats scored three runs on six hits without any errors committed and nine left on base
- Six players recorded hits for K-State
- Brady Day walked three times to match a career-best
- Cats went 1-for-6 (.167) with runners in scoring position and 3-for-12 (.250) with runners on
- The bullpen combined for one run (one earned) on three hits with strikeouts over three innings
- Johnson and Culpepper each homered
- Cats walked six times, totaling 201 on the year
- WVU scored eight runs on 13 hits with eight left on base
- Hampton tossed 6 2/3 innings for WVU with 10 strikeouts to earn the win
- The Wildcats registered their ninth multiple home run game
- Cats left nine runners on base with five in scoring position
- K-State has only struck out 10+ in nine games
- The Mountaineers leads the all-time series 17-12 and 8-8 in Manhattan
- K-State moves to 11-2 at home and 3-1 in Big 12 at home
- Jones reached base in the 18th straight game followed by Rugely at 10
- Culpepper extended his hit streak out to seven
- K-State moves to 4-3 in Big 12; WVU won its conference opener
- Jones recorded the first leadoff homer since Cameron Thompson against TCU on May 22, 2021
Game two of the Big 12 series is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Tointon Family Stadium. Saturday's game 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: Hampton, Ben (2-0)
L: Boerema, Owen (4-1)
Batting:
2B: Wetherholt, J.J. 1 ; McNeely, Caleb 1 ; Garcia, Ellis 1 ; Hussey, Grant 1
3B: McNeely, Caleb 1
HR: Wetherholt, J.J. 1 ; McNeely, Caleb 1 ; Hussey, Grant 1
RBI: Wetherholt, J.J. 2 ; McNeely, Caleb 3 ; White, Sam 1 ; Hussey, Grant 2
SH: Barry, Braden 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Wetherholt, J.J. 2 ; Barry, Braden 1 ; Leonard, Dayne 1 ; McNeely, Caleb 1 ; Garcia, Ellis 1 ; Hussey, Grant 1 ; Tucker, Tevin 1
HBP: Tucker, Tevin 1
Batting:
HR: Jones, Brendan 1 ; Culpepper, Kaelen 1
RBI: Jones, Brendan 1 ; Culpepper, Kaelen 1 ; Rugely, Cash 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Jones, Brendan 1 ; Johnson, Cole 1 ; Culpepper, Kaelen 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
5
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
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INF
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