MANHATTAN, Kan. – Brendan Jones’ 2nd inning grand slam set the requirement of video game 2 as K-State beat Southeast Missouri State, 12-5, to clinch the ninth series of the season on Saturday inside Tointon Family Stadium.
“Today was very important,” said head coach Pete Hughes. “Every win down the home stretch assists build our resume particularly versus an actually good group that is most likely to win their conference and make the [NCAA] competition.”
The Cats (30-18) set the tone in the program’s 3rd match versus the Redhawks (26-22) and never ever recalled as Brendan Jones drilled the group’s 6th grand slam of the season to leap out to a 5-0 lead.
“We’ve been having a hard time the previous number of video games offensively, however that huge two-strike grand slam from Brendan was simply a huge sigh of remedy for the dugout, I might feel it,” Hughes said. “All the at bats after that were truly unwinded and our technique simply entirely altered,”
Three Wildcats sent one out in the success with Jones, Kalen Culpepper and Robert Pena who taped his 2nd multi-homer video game of the year. The 4 homers brought the season overall to 66 which ranks 4th all-time in school history.
Pena ended up being simply the 3rd gamer because 1997 to have a 15-plus home run season signing up with previous Wildcats Dylan Phillips and Zach Kokoska each in 2021.
“We got a success early that assisted get our bats going which’s what I desired us to leave this weekend is to get our offense decreasing the stretch here. It’s the group that fumes and remains healthy is the one who can truly make a run and generally your offense is what gets you going.”
German Fajardo (3-2) received his seventh profession success on the hill as the junior enabled 5 made work on 7 hits with 4 strikeouts throughout his 6 innings.
“It’s a total 180,” Hughes talked about Fajardo’s enhancement from the previous season. “He can deal with misfortune and makes modifications pitch-to-pitch. The minute’s never ever too huge for him. He’s truly end up being a total pitcher and total rival for us this year.
You Ruhl and Kyler Heyne integrated for 3 nothing innings with 3 strikeouts from Ruhl who retired the side in the seventh and 8th.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Peyton Leeper tried the put SEMO on the board early after doubling to left however was left stranded as the Cats defense instantly set down the Redhawks in order.
K-State scored 5 runs in the bottom of the 2nd to take control of the video game led by Brendan Jones initially college grand slam. Cash Rugely led off the scoring rise with the senior’s very first hit of the series prior to happening on back-to-back hits from Raphael Pelletier and Cole Johnson.
A struck by pitch filled the bases with one out to bring Jones approximately the plate. Jones combated his method to a 2-2 count prior to clearing the bases when he unloaded on the 8th pitch, sending his 6th profession homer 367-feet over the left field wall.
SEMO snapped the nothing in the 4th with back-to-back homers by Lincoln Andrews and Leeper.
Robert Pena returned the favor with his own solo shot to right to make it 6-2 in the bottom of the inning.
The Cats plated 3 runs in the 5th to extend their lead out to 7, 9-2, led by a triple from Brady Day who extended his hit streak out to 8.
Leeper cut the cause 4 with a three-run bomb in the next inning however the damage was done as the Cats plated another 3 runs with the help of homers by Culpepper and Pena.
INSIDE PACKAGE
- K-State scored 12 work on 11 hits with no mistakes and 6 runners left on bachelor’s degree
- Jones struck the Cats 6th grand slam of the season
- Pena homered in his 2nd straight video game
- Pena taped his 2nd multi-homer video game of the season
- All 9 gamers from the beginning lineup taped a hit; 2 with numerous
- Culpepper and Pena each had 2 hits
- Jones matched a career-high 4 RBI
- Fajardo was rewarded the success to relocate to 3-2
- The bullpen integrated for 3 nothing innings, 3 strikeouts and one walk
- SEMO scored 5 work on 8 hits with 2 mistakes and 3 runners left on base
- Hernandez (2-2) received the loss
- SEMO sent 7 pitchers to the mound
NOTES
- Wildcats reach 30-wins for the very first time because 2021
- Cats drew their 300th walk of the season; ties seventh all-time
- K-State’s 3 stolen-bases brings the season overall to 101
- Hughes taped his 780th profession success
- Victory marks the programs 17th 30+ win season
- K-State won its ninth series of the season
- Cats published their 15th multi-home run video game
- K-State got a 2-1 lead in the all-time series
- Rugely extended his on-base streak to 30 straight video games followed by Day (28)
- Day pressed his hit streak out to 8
- The Cats relocated to 17-6 at home this season
- K-State is the 5th program from the Big 12 to reach 30 wins
- Pena is among 3 gamers to strike 15 homers in a single season because 1997; signs up with Dylan Phillips and Zach Kokoska each in 2021
ON DECK
The Cats will finish up non-conference play on Sunday in the last video game of the three-video game set scheduled for 1 p.m. at Tointon Family Stadium. The game will be streamed on the Big 12 Now on ESPN+ and the ESPN app with radio protection on News Radio KMAN (93.3 FM, 1350 AM). Live streaming audio is available for all video games at kstatesports.com/watch and the K-State Sports app.
