Erica Merz
K-State players storm the field at Tointon Family Stadium after an 8-7 walk-off win over No. 12 West Virginia on Friday.
Heading to the ninth inning, Kansas State trailed 7-2, and any chance of a win looked bleak for the Wildcats. However, that was until the Wildcats scored six runs in the ninth inning and walked off West Virginia 8-7 in dramatic fashion.
“That was fun,” head coach Pete Hughes said. “That’s why we all came here — the players, our staff — to win games like that in front of our community, to have a distinct home-field advantage.”
In the ninth, Big 12 Newcomer of the Week Keegan O’Connor started things off with a blast to left field for his 16th home run of the year, tying the single-season record at Kansas State.
After O’Connor, the next five batters for the Wildcats reached, cutting the deficit to just one run with the bases loaded and no outs.
Pinch hitter Ty Smolinski hit a ground ball to third, allowing a run to score and advancing the runners, though he was thrown out at first. The next batter, shortstop Maximus Martin, was intentionally walked to load the bases and set up a force at any base.
That brought up O’Connor again in the inning, who had already homered and was looking to add another signature moment to his standout season. O’Connor did just that, singling to right field as the winning run crossed the plate to complete the Wildcats’ epic comeback.
“We had every single guy on our team who hit that inning have that mentality and allowed us to win the last at-bat,” Hughes said.
West Virginia started fast, scoring three runs in the fourth inning and another in the fifth to take a 4-0 lead.
The ‘Cats threatened in the bottom of the fifth but couldn’t come up with the big hit. K-State finally got on the board in the seventh with a two-run home run by Bear Madliak to cut the lead to 4-2.
West Virginia answered, scoring three runs between the eighth and ninth innings to stretch the lead to 7-2.
The lead looked safe for the Mountaineers until the Wildcats rallied to take the opening game of the series.
While K-State allowed seven runs, the pitching staff held down a prolific West Virginia offense. The Mountaineers got runners on throughout the night, but the Wildcats’ pitchers, led by Jacob Frost, escaped trouble repeatedly.
Frost went 6 2/3 innings, striking out nine while allowing four earned runs on nine hits. Ty Ruhl relieved him and earned the win after K-State’s walk-off.
With K-State on the bubble of the NCAA Tournament, the win over the nationally ranked Mountaineers should strengthen their case for now. The loss was just the fourth on the road this season for West Virginia, a team that has played better baseball away from home.
K-State will go for the series win against West Virginia on Saturday with first pitch at 4 p.m. from Tointon Family Stadium.