After the big win over No. 5 Arkansas on Friday, Kansas State baseball downed another ranked opponent, No. 25 Michigan, winning 5-1 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas on Saturday.
The star of the show was K-State freshman phenom and two-way player Donte Lewis as he at one point, retired 12 straight batters on his way to earning his first win as a Wildcat.
“Donte Lewis was the difference-maker. His stuff was electric, but his composure as a freshman was the real story of the game. He thrives in big moments,” head coach Pete Hughes said to K-State Athletics.
Michigan scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning off of K-State starter Michael Quevedo. However, the lead didn’t last long as K-State answered with two runs in the first to claim the lead.
After the first, the game turned into a pitcher’s duel as neither team scratched a run across until the fifth inning. In the fifth, K-State third baseman Dee Kennedy smoked a ball to left field that cleared the fence for a two-run home run.
The ensuing batter, designated hitter Seth Dardar, found a pitch he liked and belted a home run of his own. The back-to-back long balls gave K-State a 5-1 lead.
“That was a great team win,” Hughes said. “We got big hits from Dee [Kennedy] and Seth [Dardar] mid-game to help us win those crucial middle innings.”
Kennedy and Dardar are both new transfers for K-State who have had excellent starts to their seasons. Kennedy has now hit safely in four straight games while Dardar has reached base in all seven games this year.
After the big fifth inning for K-State, Lewis shut down the Wolverines with his four scoreless innings. In the ninth inning, K-State brought on reliever James Guyette who pitched a scoreless ninth including striking out one to earn the save.
The win gave K-State back-to-back wins over ranked opponents, giving the Wildcats some confidence after a slow 1-4 start to the season.
K-State looks to stay undefeated in Arlington as they face another ranked opponent and Big 12 foe No. 22 TCU. The ‘Cats are starting left-handed pitcher Lincoln Sheffield as he makes his second start of the season at 3 p.m. Sunday.